Henry Taylor: B Side

Oct 4, 2023–Jan 28, 2024

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Within Taylor's broad range of subjects are works that delve into political and social allegory and current events. In some, he addresses police brutality in ways that can be terrifyingly direct but also tender. Several paintings memorialize young men murdered by the police and reference the US penal system through images of prison walls, guard towers, and citizens with their hands up. In others, he packs images and text into surreal compositions whose elusive meanings comingle reportage, personal memory, and common outrage. Together, these works extend a long tradition of socially charged history paintings. As with Francisco Goya's The Third of May 1808 (1814), which Taylor cites as a precedent, the emotional message is one of horror and grief.

A Black woman and man sit on a couch, in front of a low cofee table. They are seated in a grassy area, with a couple of trees behind them. In the far background is a road with a white wall behind it. The words "warning shots not required" are written on the wall in black letters, and there is a small crowd of Black men in blue uniforms around this area of the wall.
A muscular figure with dark skin and an afro wears a blue-grey prison jumpsuit. In the background is a yellowish-brown floor, a grey wall, and a thin strip of blue sky above it. The words "warning shots not required" are written in black letters on the top center of the piece. Glimpses of other figures and objects appear throughout the painting.
A dark skinned figure in a white shirt and cap stands behind a grill, holding a barbeque fork. They appear to be in a backyard, as an enclosed grass lawn is visible in the background.
A sculpture consisting of four vertically stacked components, from top to bottom: a miniature ship, a white box with a black and white portrait of a dark skinned masculine figure, a worn wooden dresser, and four basketballs.
Painted from the viewpoint of the interior of a car, a Black man lays limply in the front seat. Through the car window, the arm and torso of a white police officer are visible. His gun is pointed at the Black man inside.
A portrait of a dark skinned person in a magistrate's attire and wig. To the right of them are the words "syllable times rythm equals mumbo jumbo" in pink letters. The background consists of green grass and a thin strip of blue sky at the top of the painting.
Three dark skinned figures stand on a grassy lawn in front of the White House. The rightmost figure has their back turned to the audience and turns their head back in a grin. In the center is a nude figure in a crouched position, as if they were seated. The leftmost figure stands with their head turned towards the center, with their mouth open wide. They are wearing a bright white shirt and clutch a nude colored book to their chest.
An elderly Black man stands in the midst of a plowed field. The word "BOY" is written three times in large black letters against the blue sky.
A sculpture consisting of four vertically stacked components, from top to bottom: a miniature ship, a white box with a black and white portrait of a dark skinned masculine figure, a worn wooden dresser, and four basketballs.

On the Hour

A 30-second online art project:
Maya Man, A Realistic Day In My Life Living In New York City

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