For Frieze New York 2026, Ortuzar and Marc Selwyn Fine Art will jointly present a solo booth of sculptures by Akinsanya Kambon (b. 1946). The presentation features the artist’s figurative ceramics, which depict Pan-African spiritual traditions, histories of Black resistance, and personal narratives shaped by a lifetime of service, activism, and artistic inquiry. A former Marine Corps infantryman and combat illustrator in Vietnam, Kambon’s early experiences profoundly informed both his political consciousness and his artistic vision. Upon his return, he joined the Sacramento chapter of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, where he served as Lieutenant of Culture.

On May 28, “Akinsanya Kambon: Soul Sessions,” the first multi-venue survey of Kambon’s work, will open concurrently at SculptureCenter and the Center for Art, Research and Alliances (CARA) in New York City. 

Kambon’s multidisciplinary practice spans drawing, painting, and sculpture, with a particular emphasis on ceramics. His sculptural work is distinguished by the use of an adapted Japanese Raku firing technique, which reflects decades of honed precision and produces richly textured, metallic surfaces through a smoke-driven process. For Kambon, this element of chance is spiritually significant; he approaches his kiln firings ceremonially, incorporating materials such as eucalyptus leaves and sawdust and imbuing his figures with a sense of vitality and presence.

Inspired by African deities, ancestral spirits, and historical figures, the subjects of these sculptures are deeply informed by his life experiences and political education. Kambon has traveled extensively across Africa, conducting oral histories and engaging the continent’s long histories of anti-colonial struggle. His commitment to education has been central to his practice: in 1985, he and his life partner, Tama-sha, founded the Pan-African Art School, offering free art classes; in 2019, they established the Pan-African Art Gallery as a site for gathering, learning, and exchange. 

A highlight of the presentation is a selection of Kambon’s djembes or ‘talking drums.’ Originating in West Africa, the hourglass-shaped instrument was designed to mimic the pitch, rhythm, and tone of human speech. These instruments allowed villagers to quickly disseminate messages over long distances, in particular, warnings of slave raids. In the U.S., drums were instrumental to enslaved people during the 1811 German Coast rebellion – conveying revolutionary intent as revolutionaries marched to New Orleans. Additional sculptures honor figures from Pan-African history and mythology, portraying Oya, the Yoruba deity of wind and transformation; Khalid ibn al-Walid, the 7th-century Arab military commander; and Sobek, the ancient Egyptian deity associated with the Nile. 

For over forty years, Akinsanya Kambon (b. 1946, Sacramento, California) has worked in clay, creating ceramics distinguished by iridescent, metallic glazes and richly narrative surfaces. He studied art at California State University, Fresno, earning a BA in 1974 and an MA in 1976. Recent solo exhibitions have been held at Marc Selwyn Fine Art, Los Angeles (2025); Jack Shainman Gallery, New York (2022); and the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California (2016). Kambon has been included major group exhibitions, including “Made in L.A. 2023: Acts of Living,” Hammer Museum, Los Angeles (2023); “All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50,” Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, California (2016); and “The Point Is…2.0,” Joyce Gordon Gallery, Oakland, California (2016). In 2023, he received the Mohn Award for Artistic Excellence from the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles. Kambon is the recipient of awards from the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (2022); City of Long Beach (1996, 1994); County of Los Angeles (1994); and California Wellness Foundation, Violence Prevention Initiative (1993). In May 2026, the Hammer Museum will release the first monograph on the artist, Akinsanya Kambon: The Hero Avenges, published by the Museum and Delmonico Books.