Alvaro Barrington’s 'Back Home' at Sadie Coles HQ explores memory, place, and belonging through modernist paintings depicting the sunsets of his native Grenada.
Following his acclaimed exhibition at Tate Britain, Alvaro Barrington presents Back Home, a two-part exhibition of new works at Sadie Coles HQ. This show marks his return to traditional modernist painting, his primary medium, and explores themes of memory, place, and belonging. The exhibition features a series of paintings and works on paper inspired by sunsets over the Caribbean Sea, blending art historical influences such as J.M.W. Turner, Mark Rothko, Etel Adnan, and Claude Monet.
Installed along the gallery’s perimeter, the works invite slow, contemplative viewing, revealing intricate details and layers over time. The recurring motif of sunsets creates a rhythmic connection to the routines of daily life, finding beauty in the mundane and the natural world.
Earlier this year, Barrington revisited Grenada, his childhood home, for the first time since 1995. This trip reignited his connection to the region’s artistic expressions, architecture, and music, which deeply inform his practice. Within the gallery, he constructed an intimate sonic installation inside a shack made of corrugated metal, wood, and fabric.
The shack houses soundscapes by DJ Tiffany Calver and musician Naima Nefertari, including renditions of Neil Diamond’s I Am… I Said (1971). Custom speakers by Friendly Pressure and sculptural seating crafted by Barrington encourage visitors to pause, listen, and engage with the paintings in a reflective state.
Surrounding the shack are works from Barrington’s ongoing Banana Fall on You series, depicting Caribbean flora and landscapes. These multi-panel burlap pieces incorporate lyrics from John Jones’ version of I Am… I Said, focusing on verses that resonate with themes of migration, movement, and belonging. Together, the exhibition weaves a rich tapestry of personal and cultural narratives, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in Barrington’s evocative exploration of identity, memory, and place.