In conjunction with the History of Black Writing Project, Spencer Museum of Art and KU Common Book program, artist Dr. Fahamu Pecou visited the Spencer Museum on Nov. 30 to discuss his work and this year’s Common Work of Art “Oya’s Dream.” 

Commissioned by the Spencer Museum of Art, “Oya’s Dream” is a painting that was created in response to Octavia Butler’s novel “Parable of the Sower,” the 2023 KU Common Book. 

“I want the work to stoke conversation,” Pecou said. “I think art is much more dynamic and much more rich when you walk away from it and you find yourself questioning what you knew.” 

“Oya’s Dream” is a painting of a young pregnant Black woman lounging on a blanket. She is depicted holding a copy of Butler’s novel over her face while balancing a statue of Oya, the goddess of storms, death and rebirth in West African mythology, on her hip. 

Pecou’s choice to incorporate Oya was intentional — the goddess is the embodiment of change in West African mythology, which is an overarching theme in “Parable of the Sower,” as Oya is the middle name of the novel’s protagonist. 

“Oya teaches us that change is not something to be feared, but rather a catalyst for growth and evolution,” Pecou said. 

Pecou said he knew from a young age that art was his calling. 

“From the time I could hold a pencil I’ve been drawing. When I was five or six years old, I was drawing cartoon characters. … I just developed a deep love for drawing.” 

Pecou said he moved from his hometown in South Carolina to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend the Atlanta College of Art. 

After his senior thesis exhibition, which touched the members of his community who attended, Pecou was able to answer the question of “what is art?” which he had sought to answer since he was a freshman. 

“It was in that moment that I realized that this is what art is,” Pecou said. “This is what I want to do. I want to make art that heals people, that helps people.” 

After graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 1997, Pecou went on to attend Emory University, earning both his master’s degree and doctorate from the school. It was at Emory University where Pecou met Joey Orr, Mellon curator for research at the Spencer Museum of Art. 

“Fahamu and I met in Atlanta sometime around 2000, where we were both working at the time,” Orr said. “We crossed paths many times. … and we had the opportunity to learn much more about each other’s work.” 

Pecou’s work “Oya’s Dream” is a part of a larger exhibition at the Spencer Museum of Art titled “Black Writing.” With 2023 marking the 40th anniversary of the History of Black Writing Project, a project at the University of Kansas which works to recover and preserve writings of Black authors, the exhibition includes pieces which respond to Black works of literature and storytelling. 

“When I finally understood we were curating an exhibition invested in Black writing, Fahamu was such an obvious choice,” Orr said. “We are so proud to care for and share his work with our audiences.

“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable,” Pecou said. “Ultimately, that’s what I want people to take away.” 

“Black Writing” and “Oya’s Dream” will be on display in the Spencer Museum of Art until Jan. 7, 2024. More information about the exhibition and works on display can be found on the Spencer Museum of Art’s website. 

To see more works by Dr. Fahamu Pecou, including his series “Trapademia,” visit his website.