Noah Davis’s Painting for My Dad (2011) depicts a male figure looking out over a rocky landscape under a star-filled night sky. The figure, clad in a worn red shirt and denim pants, holds a lantern that casts minimal light, creating a somber atmosphere. Davis created this artwork the year his father, Keven, passed away from a brain tumor.
Head of modern and contemporary art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Eleanor Nairne, notes the ambiguity in the painting, questioning whether the figure represents Davis or his father. With Davis becoming a parent two years before creating the artwork, Nairne adds that there is a poignant connection to his own life.
The Barbican in London is hosting a comprehensive exhibition of Davis’s work, starting at Das Minsk Kunsthaus in Germany and moving to the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. The exhibition celebrates Davis as both an innovative painter and a community advocate through his co-founding of the Underground Museum in Los Angeles.
Davis, born in Seattle in 1983, moved to New York for art studies before settling in Los Angeles. He drew inspiration from his surroundings and experiences, working at the Museum of Contemporary Art while furthering his artistic journey. Davis passed away at 32, leaving behind a legacy of community upliftment.
Painting for My Dad showcases Davis’s ability to find beauty and mystery in ordinary moments, reflecting his emotionally charged yet gentle style. The exhibition also highlights his engagement with reality and constructed narratives, creating a sense of intimacy with a dreamlike quality.
Davis’s deep knowledge of art history is evident in his works, where he often references artists like Manet, Cézanne, and Rothko. His series „Missing Link“ explores Black youth culture in urban settings, connecting everyday experiences with art history representations.
Curator Helen Molesworth recalls her surprise at Davis’s ability to reimagine art history with Black figures, integrating them into familiar paintings by renowned artists. Davis’s work reflects a deep exploration of identity and representation, bridging the gap between historical art and contemporary culture.
„The current trend in Black figurative painting that we are experiencing now was not as prevalent before Noah’s passing,“ Molesworth, who was working at MOCA at the time, mentions. She adds that this shift occurred after the first major retrospective of Kerry James Marshall’s work at the museum in 2017.
Molesworth explains that when she first encountered Davis’s work, she saw a unique style that stood out from what others were doing at the time. Although Black figuration existed, it was more common in photography rather than in painting.
Davis was not only focused on featuring Black individuals prominently in his art but also on making art more accessible to marginalized communities. He opened the Underground Museum with his wife in 2012, using his inheritance to create freely accessible art spaces in a disadvantaged neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The UM itself was considered an artwork by Molesworth, as it integrated various art forms and experiences to achieve an artistic goal. Davis curated shows using works from the MOCA collection, demonstrating his dedication to uplifting artists and engaging the community through art.
Despite his focus on centering Black artists and marginalized communities, Davis downplayed the political aspects of his work. He aimed to show Black people in everyday scenarios, avoiding stereotypes associated with race.
Davis’s legacy continued to thrive, even after his untimely death. He was aware of the expectations of the predominantly white art world and explored abstraction as a way to convey political messages without being overtly explicit.
Even while battling illness, Davis continued to work tirelessly, leaving a lasting impact on those around him. Molesworth credits him with influencing her approach to life after leaving MOCA, highlighting his ambition and dedication to his craft. „Ich dachte, wenn Noah das Underground Museum machen kann, kann ich auch etwas aus mir machen außerhalb dieser Institutionen.“
„Noah Davis“ wurde von Barbican, London, und DAS MINSK, Potsdam, initiiert, wo es vom 7. September 2024 bis zum 5. Januar 2025 ausgestellt war. Die Ausstellung wird vom 6. Februar bis zum 11. Mai 2025 im Barbican zu sehen sein, bevor sie vom 8. Juni bis zum 31. August 2025 ins Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, reist.