denzel russell utilizes light as a language to interrogate the history of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church and its “slave galleries.” The installation reflects on marginalization in order to understand the lives of the 19th century Black New Yorkers who were relegated to the galleries, and calls for publics to approach these spaces with reverence and appreciation for the spirits who occupy them.

denzel russell is an artist of Trinidadian descent from New York. He often uses glass and light in his work to explore narratives about family, therapy and shelter. His work has been shown locally and internationally and he is currently the AiR at Urban Glass.