5052: The Oronde Kairi Experience

"Created from the heart. Shared with the soul"

The idea for 5052 came to me last year when I realized I was stepping into a new decade of life — but still creating from the same place of passion and authenticity.
Instead of building a show around a theme, I wanted to keep it real: bring the work I love, the pieces that stand on their own, just like when I was a kid drawing on loose leaf paper for the pure joy of it. Back then, it wasn't about recognition - it was about the excitement of creating and those moments when someone would stumble across my work and say, "You did that?"
5052 represents both my 50th birthday and the Urban Art Gallery's home on 52nd Street — a place that's part of my story. Growing up, I spent a lot of time around here visiting my grandmother and cousins, soaking in the spirit of West Philly.
This show is a celebration of that journey — a return to the joy, the freedom, and the energy that first made me fall in love with creating.
Thank you for being here and being part of this moment. Let's celebrate art, community, and everything that connects us.
- Oronde Kairi