“A Very Non-Linear Pursuit”
Ideation Orange
420 W. Nile Mile Rd., Hazel Park
Feb. 6-Feb. 28
The name “A Very Non Linear Pursuit” made me believe that this show might feel chaotic or disjointed. That assumption was far from the case, morphing in different directions quickly as I stepped inside of Ideation Orange’s gallery space.
Ffty’s embroidered style has always intrigued me, as I feel that stitching thread directly into painted surfaces makes for a unique perspective I haven’t seen elsewhere.
This exhibit, however, reveals just how much intention and dimensionality can emerge from that blend of mediums.
Color gradients, pools of thread, and repeated patterns come together for an immersive mediation on women’s bodies, pattern, and patience. The show centers predominantly on the female form, but not in a way that feels static or singular. Instead, each body becomes a terrain of linework and stitched texture.
Much of the work shares a similar visual language: small figures, dense color, intricate textures. But my favorite pieces, as usual, were the ones that sharply contrasted the rest.
One wall features five stark black-and-white works — each largely centered on a single woman surrounded by flames, chains, or positioned in physically awkward poses. In one, the woman’s crotch area is on fire. In another, she’s flipped upside down, balanced on her forearms. While stripped of color, these pieces feel somehow even more alluring. The absence of hue amplifies the thread and theme of the exhibit overall, challenging the rest of the pieces in the space.
Ffty’s use of embroidery amplifies the paintings, adding dimensionality that shifts depending on where you stand. You can trace a single line across a body and watch it evolve from light detail to dense contrast.
In his artist statement on the gallery’s wall, Ffty writes, “A non linear pursuit explores the efforts of the travel and how it dictates the destination.”
That theme definitely translates visually. Moving through the show, the works become less and less pattern-based, and more placed in a way that signifies movement and builds complexity.
Hair also becomes a central language in the show, utilized as more than just an attachment to the bodies. Drawing inspiration from African American hairstyles, Ffty explores how much variation can emerge from a single mark.
“To break up the monotony, I found myself using different hairstyles, which influenced my approach to mark-making and composition,” the statement continues.
Ffty notes that the dense colors and intricate textures are “intended to slow the viewer down,” offering time and asking for a pause.
That may be the most compelling part of the show — how the embroidered thread slows you down uniquely to paintings without it. In a digital era where images are consumed in seconds and artificial intelligence-generated content is making people question what is real, these works resist speed and are unmistakably handmade.
Even the flyers for the show are embroidered, which is something small but powerful that shows the artist’s commitment to his craft.
The show’s final wall features a series of esoteric poems, pushing viewers to slow down once more. The text doesn’t explain the work, but it does add to its meaning — which can be interpreted in numerous ways depending on the consumer.
If anything, the show’s strength lies in its commitment to process. “A Very Non-Linear Pursuit” feels free-flowing, yet deeply intentional.
This review was published in conjunction with the Detroit Metro Times.
