Noah Davis (painter) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Noah Davis
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| Born | June 3, 1983 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
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| Died | August 29, 2015 (aged 32) Ojai, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Painter and installation artist |
| Spouse(s) | Karon Davis |
| Children | Moses Davis |
| Parent(s) | Keven Davis, Faith Childs-Davis |
| Relatives | Kahlil Joseph (brother) |
Noah Davis was an American painter and artist. He was born on June 3, 1983, and passed away on August 29, 2015. He was also the person who started the Underground Museum in Los Angeles, California.
Contents
Early Life and Art Beginnings
Noah Davis was born in Seattle, Washington, on June 3, 1983. His father, Keven Davis, was a lawyer. His mother, Faith Childs-Davis, was an educator. Noah was their youngest son. His older brother, Kahlil Joseph, is a filmmaker. Kahlil's art has also been shown at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).
Noah started painting when he was a young teenager. He was very serious about his art. By the time he was 17, he had his own art studio.
Education and Early Career
From 2001 to 2004, Noah studied painting at the Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. He moved to Los Angeles in 2004. There, he worked at the bookstore inside MOCA.
By 2007, Noah began showing his paintings. He had his art in group shows and solo exhibitions. These shows were in Los Angeles, New York, and other places. This helped him become known for his unique art.
His work caught the eye of gallery owner Bennett Roberts. Roberts represented Noah for five years. Over time, Noah's art was shown in many important places. These included the Rubell Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Noah Davis's Artistic Style
Noah Davis became known for his special way of painting. He often showed blurred figures of Black people. These figures were usually set against empty or shadowy backgrounds. He created about 400 paintings, collages, and sculptures during his life.
His paintings mixed real-life scenes with dreamlike ideas. They explored themes of Black identity and the history of Western painting. He used photos and real-life experiences as inspiration. His art was both lively and thoughtful. Noah was good at making his paintings look three-dimensional, even though they were flat. He was inspired by artists like Marlene Dumas, Luc Tuymans, Mark Rothko, and Fairfield Porter.
The Underground Museum
In 2012, Noah Davis started the Underground Museum. He created it with his wife, Karon Davis, who is a sculptor. His brother, Kahlil Joseph, and his sister-in-law, Onye Anyanwu, also helped. The museum is located in Arlington Heights, a neighborhood in Los Angeles. This area has a history of being home to working-class African-American and Latino families.
Noah wanted to bring high-quality art to this community. He said he wanted art to be "within walking distance." This was because people in the area did not have easy access to museums.
A Community Art Space
The Underground Museum is an art space run by artists. It is made of several connected storefronts. Noah's main idea was to share museum-quality art with people. He wanted to do this without needing traditional art galleries.
The museum became a lively place for culture. Famous musicians like John Legend and Solange Knowles have launched albums there. Directors like Barry Jenkins (who directed "Moonlight") and Raoul Peck have shown their films there.
Before Noah passed away in 2015, he made a special deal with MOCA. MOCA agreed to lend art from its collection to the Underground Museum. Noah planned the first show and left ideas for 18 more.
Recent History of the Museum
The museum closed for almost two years because of the COVID-19 lockdowns. It reopened in January 2022 with new leaders. However, it closed again in March 2022. Noah's wife, Karon Davis, explained that her family needed time to grieve Noah's loss. The museum has not yet announced plans to reopen for a long time.
Exhibitions and Legacy
Noah Davis had many solo art shows during his life. These were held at galleries and museums across the United States. Some of his notable shows included Noah Davis: Nobody (2008) and The Missing Link (2013) in Los Angeles. He also had Savage Wilds (2012) in Seattle.
Noah Davis passed away at his home in Ojai, California, on August 29, 2015. He died from a rare type of cancer.
After his death, Noah's art continued to be shown. There have been several solo shows of his work. His art has also been part of important group exhibitions. The Frye Art Museum in Seattle held Young Blood (2016). This show explored the art of Noah, his brother Kahlil Joseph, and the Underground Museum. In 2020, the David Zwirner Gallery in New York held a show looking back at his career. His paintings were also featured in The Milk of Dreams (2022) at the 59th Venice Biennale.
Notable Works in Public Collections
- American Sterile (2008), Rubell Museum, Miami/Washington, D.C.
- Black Wall Street (2008), Studio Museum in Harlem, New York
- Black Widow with Brothers Fighting (2008), Nasher Museum of Art, Durham, North Carolina
- The Messenger (2008), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
- The Seven Prisoners of the Abyss (2008), Rubell Museum, Miami/Washington, D.C.
- The Gardener (2009), Studio Museum in Harlem, New York
- I Own a Morandi (2009), Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
- The Year of the Coxswain (2009), Studio Museum in Harlem, New York
- All Those Lost to Oh Well (2010), Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
- inBoil and Margaret (2010), Santa Barbara Museum of Art, California
- The Missing Link 4 (2014), Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- Pueblo del Rio: Public Art Sculpture (2014), Hammer Museum, Los Angeles
- Carlos' World (2014-2015), Whitney Museum, New York
- The "Fitz" (2015), Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
- Untitled (2015), Museum of Modern Art, New York
