Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal
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The exhibition Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal is inspired by the life and legacy of jazz musician, devotional leader, and mother Alice Coltrane (b. 1937, Detroit). The title takes its name from her book Monument Eternal (1977), which reflected her newfound spiritual beliefs; the loss of her husband, the saxophonist John Coltrane; and the path to healing and self-discovery. The exhibition presents works by contemporary American artists paired with ephemera from Coltrane’s personal archive. Featuring a range of mediums including video, installation, performance, and sculpture together with Coltrane’s archival handwritten sheet music, unreleased audio recordings, and rarely seen video footage, Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal explores themes including spiritual transcendence, sonic innovation, and architectural intimacy to honor Coltrane’s cultural output and practice.
Artists
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Ephraim Asili |
Jasper Marsalis |
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Alice and John Coltrane at the Newport Jazz Festival, 1966Courtesy of Yasuhiro Fujioka collection. Photo: Hozumi Nakadaira
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Alice Coltrane, c. 1978Courtesy of the John & Alice Coltrane Home
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Alice Coltrane, c. 1995Courtesy of the John & Alice Coltrane Home
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Jamal Cyrus, Horn Beam Effigy (detail), 2022Saxophone, steel rail, railroad ties, dirt, denim, and wood. 76 × 84 × 84 in. (193 × 213.4 × 213.4 cm). Collection of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth; Gift of the Director’s Council and Museum purchase, 2022. Photo: 53: Kevin Todora. Courtesy of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
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Nikita Gale, GRAVITY SOLO I (HYPERPERFORMANCE), 2022Plexiglas box, amp, keyboard, speakers, red calcite, stereo audio.
22 × 22 × 12 in. (55.9 × 55.9 × 30.5 cm). Courtesy Petzel and Nikita Gale Studio. Photo: Elon Schoenholz -
Rashid Johnson, Gotta Match, 2014Burned red oak flooring, black soap, wax, spray enamel, vinyl, and shea butter. 83 1/8 × 103 1/2 × 10 1/4 in. (211.1 × 262.9 × 26 cm). Courtesy of David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo: Martin Parsekian
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Jasper Marsalis, Event 3, 2020Oil on canvas. 60 × 80 in. (152.4 × 203.2 cm). Courtesy of the artist and Kristina Kite Gallery, Los Angeles. Photo: Brica Wilcox
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Gozié Ojini, 44.6 lbs, 2024Altered upright piano. 53 × 60 × 60 in. (134.6 × 152.4 × 152.4 cm). Collection of Kelsey Coxe and Gabe Schulman. Photo: Chris Herity
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Cauleen Smith, Still from Pilgrim, 2017Digital video, color, sound. 7:41 min. Courtesy of the artist and Morán Morán
Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal is organized by Erin Christovale, curator, with Nyah Ginwright, curatorial assistant.
Generous support for the exhibition is provided by Bill Hair. Additional support is provided by Kelly Connors and Jackson Rogow, Hedy Fischer and Randy Shull, and Ben Weyerhaeuser.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Media sponsorship is provided by KCRW 89.9FM