Spirit of Inspiration Dedication Ceremony

The “Spirit of Inspiration,” designed by internationally acclaimed artist Olalekan Jeyifous, is inspired by the life and legacy of Lucille Clifton. Lucille Clifton (1936-2010) remains one of the most important poets of the 20th century.

Born in Depew, New York, Clifton grew up on Purdy Street on Buffalo’s East Side and graduated from Fosdick-Masten Park High School (now City Honors). In her lifetime, Clifton published 14 collections of poetry and a memoir edited by Toni Morrison, as well as 18 books for children. Her numerous awards include three Pulitzer Prize nominations, an Emmy Award, a Coretta Scott King Award, and the National Book Award. Clifton was the first Black woman ever to receive the distinguished Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize for lifetime achievement.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Born in Nigeria, Olalekan Jeyifous is a Brooklyn-based artist whose work re-imagines social spaces that examine the relationships between architecture, community, and the environment. He has spent over a decade creating large-scale installations for a variety of public spaces and was recently co-commissioned to create a monument dedicated to Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm as part of the City of New York’s “She Built NYC” initiative. His work has been exhibited at venues such as the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Vitra Design Museum and the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain.

This event is free & open to the public.