Living History
A New Monumental Archival Installation by Nikesha Breeze
Biennale of Sydney 2026
“Help bring Living History to life at the Biennale of Sydney — Nikesha Breeze’s most ambitious work to date.”
Three monumental, interactive sculptures will fill the vast halls of the White Bay Power Station, animating the narratives of African Americans who experienced enslavement as children.
This immersive sculptural and performance installation reanimates the narratives of African Americans interviewed in the 1930s United States Federal Writers Project “Born into Slavery.” A vast oral history archive of over 2500 first hand accounts of African American elders who experienced enslavement as children. Breeze excavates these stories to create a living memory of embodied ritual, ancestral witness, and monumental sculptural presence.
ABOUT THE BIENNALE OF SYDNEY
Since 1973, the Biennale of Sydney has established itself as one of the world's most significant contemporary art events, presenting groundbreaking work by over 2,400 artists from more than 130 countries.
Curated by Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, the 25th Biennale continues to serve as a vital platform for innovative artistic expression and cultural dialogue.
Help Realize Living History
A fundraising campaign has been launched to raise the additional $100,000 needed to fully execute the artist’s vision for this monumental installation.
Be a part of Breeze’s global legacy by supporting Living History at the Biennale of Sydney.
Donations of any size are deeply appreciated.
All contributions are processed through the New Mexico Black Leadership Council, the official 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor for this project.
To thank supporters, two limited editions are being released exclusively through this fundraiser — both offered below their full value to early donors.
A limited edition of 100 archival pigment prints from Nikesha Breeze’s Archival Portraiture series, measuring 20 x 16 inches ($950 value). These portraits transform early photographic records into life-sized paintings that honor Black ancestors whose stories were overlooked in their time. Available to the first 100 donors at the $300 level.
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A pre-release offering of 10 bronze masks from an edition of 18. The 108 Death Masks were formed in clay over a 108-day vigil, later cast in West African bronze in Ghana, and installed at the Equal Justice Initiative’s Freedom Monument Sculpture Park in Montgomery, Alabama in honor of the six million lives lost in enslavement in the United States. This one of a kind Artist’s Proof Edition Is a rare opportunity to collect this ground breaking work.
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One-Time or Recurring Donations
Your support can come in many forms. Whether you make a one-time contribution or choose to give monthly, every donation directly sustains the creation and installation of Living History at the Biennale of Sydney. Recurring gifts help us plan and meet essential costs throughout the fabrication and performance phases, ensuring the artists, builders, and collaborators are supported every step of the way.
About the Artist
Nikesha Breeze
Nikesha Breeze is an African American/Assyrian interdisciplinary artist working from an Afrocentric, Afrofuturistic viewpoint. Their practice spans painting, sculpture, installation, performance, and film, creating layered works that engage ancestral memory and archival resurrection. Breeze’s award-winning work 108 Death Masks: A Communal Prayer for Peace and Justice was recreated in bronze and included in the permanent collection of the Equal Justice Initiative’s Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. In 2025, Yale University commissioned Breeze to create a new permanent monument acknowledging the university's historical ties to slavery and the slave trade.
Presented in Partnership with Richard Levy Gallery
Founded in 1991, Richard Levy Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Albuquerque, New Mexico, representing emerging and established artists working across painting, photography, sculpture, and new media. The gallery has long supported Nikesha Breeze’s practice and is proud to collaborate on this international presentation of Living History at the Biennale of Sydney.
Fiscal Sponsor: New Mexico Black Leadership Council
The New Mexico Black Leadership Council (NMBLC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Black communities through cultural, educational, and economic initiatives across New Mexico. As the official fiscal sponsor for Living History, NMBLC ensures that all donations are processed with transparency and integrity. Contributions made through NMBLC are fully tax-deductible and directly support the realization of this project.
Fiscal Sponsor: New Mexico Black Leadership Council
All donations are processed through NMBLC, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Contact: Richard Levy Gallery
info@levygallery.com | 505.766.9888
www.levygallery.com