Saffell Gardner poses next to “Lost Kings,” a reflection on the Middle Passage and slave trade.

The much-anticipated artspace, 9338 Campau, opened on Friday, August 22nd with a stunning survey of work by painter and sculptor Saffell Gardner, which drew from a body of work 40+ years in the making. The space, managed by curator Steve Panton, follows his dedicated efforts at 2739 Edwin, a mainstay of the Hamtramck art scene.

The opening night crowd outside 9338 Campau. Photo by Rebecca Cook, courtesy of the gallery

Panton’s new space has even more area devoted to art, and chose an artist of great depth for his first showcase. The challenge to culling from such a large body of work became apparent, with 22 pieces winnowed down from a highly productive 40 years in art-making.

Gardner’s “Crossing Series,” charcoal on paper, that represents his most recent work.

Also included, Gardner’s altars, including this tribute to his father, who he cites as, “my main, my only mentor.”

Gardner is a marvel of opposing forces, working initially from a place of instinct and inspiration, which later came to be underpinned by study and influence through his pursuit of an MFA, after switching away from an educational track in engineering. To hear Gardener tell it, his work draws from a rich well of source material that is based on something fundamental within us all—and he is quick to hedge against the tendency of schools to train artists away from their instincts. The earliest piece on display is “Cosmic Xango”(1978), which Gardner points to as the first emergence of his “vocabulary of shapes,” including the xango, which appears in the Y’ruba religious tradition, but seemed to crop up organically for Gardner in his early explorations.

“Cosmic Xango.”

Gardner on opening night. Photo by Rebecca Cook, courtesy of the gallery

Gardner works within several indigenous cultural and religious traditions, which include reflections on the forcible dissemination of native Africans through the slave trade, to the creation of “totems,” painted pieces that point directly to artwork of Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Gardner’s studies in Indian/Oceanic/African art have taken him to Vancouver, to see these totems for himself, and as always, these teachings and influences are incorporated and expressed through colorful abstraction, graphic charcoal wireframes, all part of his determination to change the world with his art, even on days where the best one can do is keep a footing in the turmoil.

Gardner’s “Totem” series.

Opening night music. Photo by Rebecca Cook, courtesy of the gallery

Hats off to Gardner and Panton for all their efforts in making the opening of 9338 Campau a significant art event. There is much more to come from Gardner, including a two-person show at Motown Gallery, an installation at Fiber Works on Livernois, and a piece for Art Prize in Grand Rapids. Panton has, of course, set a high bar to follow with 9338 Campau’s fally program. Here’s looking forward to it all!

9338 Campau: 9338 Jos. Campau, Hamtramck; [email protected]; 9338campau.com/index.html