Nari Ward is a contemporary Jamaican-born American artist renowned for his large-scale sculptural installations crafted from found objects and materials sourced from his local surroundings. His work delves into themes of race, immigration, community, power, and history, engaging with social and political issues in ways that challenge viewers to think critically about identity and inequality.
Ward’s art often involves reclaiming discarded materials—such as strollers, fire hoses, shopping carts, and bottles—transforming them into powerful symbolic forms. This practice reflects his interest in the narratives attached to everyday objects and offers a broader commentary on consumerism, marginalization, and the stories of the oppressed or overlooked.
Gaining wide recognition in the 1990s, Ward’s work has been exhibited in major galleries and museums worldwide, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New Museum in New York, and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. Notable pieces include “Amazing Grace” (1993), featuring abandoned baby strollers arranged alongside the spiritual song of the same name, and “We the People” (2011), where shoelaces spell out the opening words of the U.S. Constitution, reinterpreted through the lens of contemporary issues.
Combining a unique blend of personal history, cultural critique, and environmental consciousness, Ward is considered one of the leading figures in contemporary art.