Henry Taylor's First Retrospective at LA MOCA Showcases 30 Years of Defiant Painting

Henry Taylor's first retrospective, 'B Side,' opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles on 6 November, running through 30 April. The exhibition features over 150 works spanning painting, drawing, and sculpture from more than three decades of his career. Taylor's paintings challenge both representational and abstract traditions, with references to artists like Picasso, Gerhard Richter, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. One notable work, 'Haitian working (washing my window) not begging' (2015), combines figurative and abstract elements in a composition that evokes Clyfford Still. Another painting, 'THE TIMES THAY AIN'T A CHANGING, FAST ENOUGH!' (2017), addresses the 2016 police killing of Philando Castile by officer Jeronimo Yanez in Minnesota. The show coincides with exhibitions by Alex Katz at the Guggenheim in New York and Bob Thompson at the Hammer Museum, providing context for Taylor's place in a broader understanding of the New York School. While the retrospective includes some sculptural works, the paintings are emphasized as the standout elements. Taylor's work is described as embodying an optimistic defiance, expanding the reach of painting beyond traditional boundaries.