The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is a cultural pillar in my city and it’s going through some major changes. I recently went to the museum after a long, unintended, wait. I knew parts of the museum were under construction but I didn’t realize how much was changing. Many exhibits like the Egyptian Art & Art of the Near East and Japanese Art are closed as LACMA builds new homes for their permanent collection. In the meantime, there is still such great art to be seen and I highly encourage art lovers and curious folks to visit the Charles White: A Retrospective.

Charles White is a Black artist who became well-renowned in the mid-twentieth century. He’s a social activist and his art truly represents the love he holds for his people. When I went to see his work, I felt taken aback. I’ve seen some of his famous pieces in passing and yet hardly know the man behind them. He works mostly charcoal but he also has some outstanding color paintings and photography. You’ll notice an emphasis on hands, black and white color schemes, and creative portraits.

A superb draftsman, White focused on images of both historical and contemporary African Americans, depicted in ideal portraits and everyday scenes. He extolled their dignity, humanity, and heroism in the face of the country’s long history of racial injustice and encouraged his viewers and fellow artists of color to project their own self-worth.

― LACMA

The exhibit works as a timeline of his career, you see some of his earliest work that seems influenced by artists like Diego Rivera. To me, his most striking pieces were his huge charcoal and ink pictures. A notable piece was his “General Moses (Harriet Tubman).” This picture is one of the first you’ll see as you walk into the exhibit and it carries such an emotional impact. Harriet is sitting on a stone formation that highlights her own strength and determination. White realized Harriet was dubbed “African American Moses” for leading Black people to freedom and he truly honors her spirit.

Photos of the great paintings don’t do them justice whatsoever. I highly encourage you to see the exhibit and any others before LACMA goes through further maintenance. Charles White: A Retrospective is in the Resnick Pavilion, which will be open throughout all the construction. The Pavilion is a sight to behold, the very first mural you’ll see inside is “150 Portrait Tone” by Mark Bradford. His paintings often sell for $10 million! Check out LACMA’s current exhibitions to see what else is on view. 

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Best,

Kai