ej hill's pink rollercoaster explores joy and american history
American creative EJ Hill’s exhibition Brake Run Helix is the stuff of dreams for arty big kids. It features a pink roller coaster that audience members can ride, as well as a series of pink artworks depicting theme parks.
“When I was little, I had these notebooks and they’d all be covered with roller coaster drawings,” EJ says of his lifelong love for the attraction. “This image has always shown up, time and time again: this idea of the up and down and the round and round of a closed circuit.”
Upon first glance, the installation is a fun, bubblegum-hued joyride. However, there is a sinister element behind it: EJ, a black, queer artist, highlights that black Americans were not allowed to enter recreational venues – including amusement parks – during the Jim Crow era. Even after desegregation, many theme parks became difficult to access due to privatisation. “And yet, roller coasters have retained their original, hopeful purpose: they are one of the only architectural forms designed for the sole purpose of offering experiences of terror-streaked delight,” notes the Massachusettes Museum of Contemporary Art, which is currently hosting the exhibition.
Brake Run Helix is on display until January 2024. Those who can’t see the real thing in person can pop over to EJ’s website and the Massachusettes Museum of Contemporary Art’s website for more.
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