Farmer The Rigger is an oversized African Mask; a tribute to skilled labor and African ancestry. It also functions as a self portrait, tracing the creator’s path from emerging to established artist through the language of industrial materials, rigging, and monumentality. 

About Zulu Heru:
Zulu Heru is a California-based sculptor whose work reimagines the cultural remnants of the African diaspora. Shaped by his time at Howard University, Zulu has emerged as a visionary artist redefining how African art is seen within the realm of fine art. 

Attuned to what society discards and forgets, he transforms salvaged materials into sculptural vessels alive with ancestral presence. Through this process, Zulu embodies the long-standing tradition within Black culture of turning scarcity into abundance; an alchemy of transformation that speaks to resilience and a spirit of renewal. His work challenges the colonial framing of African art as "primitive," reclaiming objects such as the African Mask as forms of high art that are spiritual, political, and sublime in both craftsmanship and intent. 

Zulu's practice is rooted in mentorship and lineage. Guided by his godfather and mentor, Uzikee Nelson, a celebrated figure of the Black artistic renaissance, he honors a legacy of creative liberation. Nelson's path carved space for Black artists to move with purpose and power; Zulu carries that torch forward, building upon this foundation with reverence and innovation. 

A former commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, Zulu's story is forged in metal and discipline. With over a decade of experience in metal fabrication, he brings a deep technical fluency to his art. As an operating engineer and professional art handler, he has helped install over 100 monumental works across the country, from Auguste Rodin and Keith Haring to Jaume Plensa, KAWS, and Sanford Biggers. These encounters with masterworks have sharpened his sense of scale, form, and legacy. 

Zulu's sculptures exist as both monuments and talismans, collapsing time and creating dialogue between ancestors and future generations. Each work breathes life into forgotten materials, reminding us that the discarded still carries spirit, and that creation itself can be a form of awakening.