Noah Davis

Noah Davis’s figurative paintings, often based on vintage photographs with an art-historical bent and an Expressionistic rendering, spark a dialogue between modernist aesthetics and African American history. His images are simultaneously grotesque and sentimental, reminiscent of Neo Rauch in their obscure sadness and Marlene Dumas in his treatment of the figure’s cloudy expression. The artist manipulates thick brushstrokes and muddy colors to present jarring interior scenes and uncanny portraiture. The mystery of his scenes demand extended contemplation, where undisclosed locations in soft focus contribute to the feeling of a turbulent internal monologue. Davis’s works merge high and low brow symbols, reflecting a swirling uncertainty that manifests in mystery and subtle humor.

Davis has exhibited at Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, Torrance Art Museum, California, Corcoran Museum, Washington, D.C., Santa Barbara Museum of Art, California, and the Rubell Family Collection, Miami, among other gallery exhibitions on both American coasts. He was the recipient of an AHAN Award in 2013 and operates The Underground Museum in central Los Angeles, inviting the public to engage with art through exhibitions and programming.