February 9th - April 29th 2023
OXY ARTS, 4757 York Blvd, Los Angeles 90042
Opens February 9th, 6pm
For the culmination of her residency at OXY ARTS, and in her first solo institutional exhibition in Los Angeles, Kenturah Davis presents a body of work that illuminates the significance of shadows in our sensory experience.
Drawing inspiration from Jun’ichirō Tanizaki’s classic text, In Praise of Shadows, Davis explores the premise that shadows and darkness do not just produce conditions that conceal, but that they can also reveal and illuminate. Using hybrid forms of drawing, photography and printmaking, Davis experiments with various modalities that interrogate the contingent relationship between shadow and light.
Davis’ practice—at the intersection of text, image, and object—considers how we embody and disseminate meaning. Her work extends to questions and explorations that help unpack social and cultural conventions and hierarchies, and consider ideas rooted in philosophy, physics, literature and anthropology.
Davis’ drawing practice is born from an interest in the earliest forms of writing and mark-making. Ancient mechanisms of inscription by early civilizations, whether on monumental temple walls or clay tiles, set a precedent for how we visualize information. Her experiments with the physicality of language guide her practice. By integrating text and portraiture, Davis blurs the distinction between writing and drawing and animates the dynamic process in which language frames how we understand ourselves and the world around us.
This exhibition and related programming are made possible by generous support from the Kathryn Caine Wanlass Charitable Foundation.
Related Programming:
Opening Reception - Kenturah Davis: Dark Illumination
February 9, 2023 | 6:00PM - 8:00PM
Celebrate the opening of Kenturah Davis: Dark Illumination with drinks, food, music and more.
Kenturah Davis in Conversation with Ian F. Blair
February 21, 2023 | 6:00PM
Kenturah Davis is joined by Ian F. Blair, editor-in-chief of the L.A. Times Image magazine.
Jonathan Richards and Ensemble in Concert
March 23, 2023 | 6:00PM
An intimate evening of jazz reflecting on Kenturah Davis: Dark Illumination.
Screening of Maborosi (Phantom Light) (1995)
April 6, 2023 | 6:00PM
The classic debut feature film by Hirokazu Kore-eda. A somber, revelatory story on grief and life after death.
Incense Presentation with Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony
April 27, 2023 | 6:00PM
Olfactory artist Persephenie and Nesanet Teshager Abegaze share knowledge, scents and ceremony.