Black Panther Party Installation

Narrator: Taylor conceived this installation for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the first venue of this exhibition. When he began imagining it, the main element he had in mind was his brother Randy’s black leather jacket. Randy Taylor had been associated with the Ventura, California branch of the Black Panther Party. The Black Panthers advocated for self-defense, community empowerment, social programs including free food, clothing distribution and health clinics. Taylor’s ideas for this installation evolved in relationship to the galleries. 

Henry Taylor: My brother was about five years older than me, four grades, when I was in the ninth he was in twelfth. So, he made me aware of things like Bobby Seal, Eldridge Cleaver, George Jackson.

So, I was thinking about a leather jacket. I had an idea to make only one jacket. But huge, because I didn't know anything about this space. But I was given another space. So, I was experimenting, say like closet-size. So, maybe I had eight jackets. So, it just took off from there.

Narrator: The installation also gestures towards the present. Taylor included photo pins of Breonna Taylor and others who were victims of police violence. But at the same time, the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, was also on his mind—and the contrast between the white supremacist violence on display there and the Black Panther’s militant reputation. 

Henry Taylor: And I thought about the insurrection. That is scary to me. But I don't think—the Panthers weren't trying to be intimidating. This was trying to save people.