Jahlil Nzinga

ARE WE THERE YET

Price available upon request.

Similar to Something Special, this painting utilizes a car as a metaphor for childhood reflection. The work features a Porsche 911 full of youngsters asking the dreaded road trip question: “Are we there yet?” The passengers are hyper-focused on their destination, failing to appreciate the splendid car they ride in, or the beautiful scenery. Iconography from children’s television shows pay homage to pop culture references that influenced Nzinga’s character as a youth. Nzinga uses the car and cartoon motifs to stress the importance of journey and growth over one’s final destination.

Medium: acrylic paint, aerosol, charcoal, calligraphy ink, oil paint, grease marker, oil pastel, and enamel paint on canvas

Dimensions: 69" L x 41" H

SOMETHING SPECIAL

Price available upon request.

In Something Special, Nzinga explores how his childhood shaped his journey as an artist. Emblematic of his ‘life’s ride’ is an energetically rendered Mercedes Koenig Special. These cars are upgraded over time with enhancements that increase the vehicle’s value and performance. Similarly, Nzinga continues to refine his skills as he expands his practice — akin to the beloved automobile. Titles of popular films such as Crooklyn and Menace II Society appear in the background, referencing pivotal movies that have informed his life. The films’ narratives accentuate each other, building upon a framework like modifications to a Mercedes.

Medium: Acrylic paint, calligraphy ink, oil pastel, rf pigment stick, and charcoal on canvas

Dimensions: 90" L x 57" H

FIVE DOLLAR CIGARS

Price available upon request.

During his childhood, television and films informed much of Nzinga’s creative expression – from his artwork to his fashion and even aspects of his personality. Titles from popular TV programs and networks are layered throughout 5 Dollar Cigars, building up the painting similar to how they influenced Nzinga’s character. This piece also features a VW Golf Rallye, a testament to the wild journey Nzinga has taken to find his artistic calling. A mobile phone photographs the car, documenting his appreciation for the journey. The title of the work marks Nzinga’s pride in his achievements; his success has afforded him luxuries, a departure from smoking inexpensive five dollar cigars.

Medium: aerosol, charcoal, RF oil stick, acrylic paint, solid state marker, and calligraphy ink on canvas

Dimensions: 40" L x 30" H

IF YOU COULDN'T LOSE

Price available upon request.

What would you do if you couldn’t fail? If you could ride free and fast like a motorcyclist? Nzinga posits that being alive, being brave while appreciating an experience is what “winning” is about. The rider serves as a metaphor for this sentiment: he races ahead on his motorcycle, constantly facing dangerous twists and turns. Pushing himself, he still enjoys the sport while giving it his best effort. 3:33 is Nzinga’s birth time, as well as an angel number signifying creativity and good fortune. When reflecting on how far he has come, Nzinga feels especially blessed, and appreciates a higher power guiding him down the correct path.

Medium: Acrylic paint, aerosol, calligraphy ink, charcoal, Krink K-60, and oil stick on canvas

Dimensions: 32" L x 60" H

TEA TIME

Price available upon request.

Tea Time features a stylish man with his hands clasped together in a pseudo-prayer over the hood of a Ferrari. The character wears a green Masters jacket, embodying golf royalty. Nzinga presents him as an archetype of a successful person who has the luxury to take tea time. The Ferrari signifies that this man has truly made it, an ode to the saying “You get a Lambo if you want to look rich, you get a Ferrari when you are rich.” The figure meditates alongside a waterfall pouring from the teapot, resolute in the face of adversity as stripes radiate out from his head, pointing his gaze towards a bright future.

Medium: aerosol, charcoal, RF oil stick, acrylic paint, solid state marker, calligraphy ink

Dimensions: 60" L x 60" H

T-TIME

SOLD

Based on the first time Nzinga went golfing, T-Time explores Black experience in traditionally white sports. Nzinga had never golfed before, and arrived at the course wearing Timberland boots and regular clothes. After being jeered at by the other golfers, he quickly impressed them with his natural skill. The VW Golf Rallye depicted in the painting is a fast, all-terrain vehicle, acting as a metaphor for rapid adaptation and risk-taking. Growing up in poverty requires agile movement like a VW Golf: the ability to adapt swiftly to unfamiliar circumstances, just like Nzinga at the golf course.

Medium: Acrylic paint, aerosol, charcoal, calligraphy ink, oil stick, solid state marker, ink marker and collage on canvas

Dimensions: 40" L x 30" H

GO FASTER

Price available upon request.

A homage to the first Black Nascar driver, Wendell Scott, Go Faster explores Black experience in racing, a predominantly white sport. As Scott sits in his Chevrolet, reveling in his victory at the 1963 Grand National Series, he wears a somber expression while a shadowy figure observes him from afar. This pale omen serves as a reminder; that while Scott enjoys this victory, there is still much work needed to advance equity throughout sports and society.

Medium: Acrylic paint, aerosol, charcoal, oil pastel, oil stick, and solid state marker on canvas

Dimensions: 84" L x 76" H

STORY OF GLORY

SOLD

Nzinga's object painting series recontextualizes elements of his larger works into small, intimate moments that expand upon the narratives of previous paintings. From stopwatches clocking motorcycle speeds to racing helmets, these works isolate motifs from Nzinga's busy visual language to create calming, minimalist images.

Dimensions: 16" W x 20" H