Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953). Handle with Care, 2010. Rubber tires, wood, and steel, 34 1/2 x 98 x 11 in. Courtesy of the artist © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery; Photo: The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey.
Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953). Handle with Care, 2010. Rubber tires, wood, and steel, 34 1/2 x 98 x 11 in. Courtesy of the artist © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery; Photo: The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey.
Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953). Handle with Care, 2010.
Rubber tires, wood, and steel, 34 ½ x 98 x 11 in. Courtesy of the artist © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery; The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey.
Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953). Installation view of Make a Wish (2012) at Chakaia Booker: The Observance at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami. Apr 22 - Oct 31, 2021. Rubber tires, aluminum, resin, and steel, 122 x 72 x 1 ⅞ in. Courtesy of the artist © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery; Photo: Zachary Balber.
Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953). Installation view of Make a Wish (2012) at Chakaia Booker: The Observance at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami. Apr 22 - Oct 31, 2021.
Rubber tires, aluminum, resin, and steel, 122 x 72 x 1 ⅞ in. Courtesy of the artist © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery; Photo: Zachary Balber.
Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953). Delinquent, 2009. Acrylic and acid-free paper on prepared wood panel, 47 x 95 x 3 ⅛ in. Courtesy of the artist © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery; Photo: Adam Reich.
Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953). Delinquent, 2009.
Acrylic and acid-free paper on prepared wood panel, 47 x 95 x 3 ⅛ in. Courtesy of the artist © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery; Photo: Adam Reich.
Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953). Untitled (CB.13.13), 2013. Hand-painted chine collé on Hahnemühle copperplate paper, 24 x 21 ½ in. Courtesy of the artist and EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery and EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop; Photo: Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop.
Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953). Untitled (CB.13.13), 2013.
Hand-painted chine collé on Hahnemühle copperplate paper, 24 x 21 ½ in. Courtesy of the artist and EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery and EFA Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop; Photo: Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop.
Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953). Courtesy of the artist © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery; Photo: Stephen Allen.
Chakaia Booker (American, born 1953).
Courtesy of the artist © Chakaia Booker and Courtesy of the David Nolan Gallery; Photo: Stephen Allen.

Chakaia Booker: Surface Pressure

July 16 – October 29, 2023

Chakaia Booker: Surface Pressure celebrates the diverse work of multimedia artist Chakaia Booker. Booker is renowned for her expert manipulation of unconventional materials, transforming perceived visual tensions into compellingly unified compositions. Her complex body of work challenges viewers to consider the nature of their relationships with one another and the world at large.
The title “Surface Pressure” alludes to Booker’s process of making — the literal force she exerts through the manipulation of raw materials including rubber, wood, steel, and paper. A hallmark of Booker’s artistic practice are her inventive sculptures composed of recycled tires. This exhibition will present these signature works alongside the artist’s innovative creations in printmaking and painting. Booker imbues each piece, regardless of the medium she employs, with a sense of energy, drama, and tactility. Her abstract, multidimensional configurations illustrate her careful attention to texture, pattern, form, and scale. The complex surfaces of the works, accomplished by layering, weaving, and fusing, represent a deeply personal and physical process, and one that serves as a gateway for generating new meaning and exchange.
Surface Pressure will feature over a dozen works, including prints, paintings, and monumental sculptures, from across the artist’s extensive career. Booker has received numerous awards and honors including a Guggenheim Fellowship and participation in the Whitney Museum of American Art’s prestigious biennial. Her works are housed in more than 40 public collections and have been exhibited across the United States, in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

This exhibition is organized by Sarasota Art Museum and curated by Keidra Daniels Navaroli, independent curator.

This exhibition is made possible, in part, with generous support from:
Platinum Sponsor
Shari and John Hicks

Silver Sponsors
Marge and Leon Ellin
Judy and Fred Fiala
Keith Monda and Veronica Brady

Programs

© Sarasota Art Museum 2026