The Cellist, a ten-foot-tall reimagining of a porcelain jazz figurine, represents Reginald O’Neal’s first sculptural installation. Extending his Entertainer series, the work critiques the commodification of Black artists, transforming a mass-produced object into a monumental exploration of identity and agency.

Set in a dimly lit space, the cellist faces a wall, playing only for himself. This deliberate positioning challenges spectatorship and asserts the autonomy of the figure, rejecting the reduction of artists to mere entertainers. Rooted in O’Neal’s upbringing in Overtown, Miami—a historically significant neighborhood for African American culture—the work connects personal and collective histories, urging viewers to reflect on representation, visibility, and the dynamics of artistic labor.