Noah Davis (United States, 1983–2015), The Gardener, 2009
Oil on canvas. The Studio Museum in Harlem; Museum purchase with funds provided by the Acquisition Committee
© Estate of Noah Davis
Noah Davis came to art early in his life—he had a studio and painting practice by the age of seventeen. After studying at the Cooper Union for several years, he moved to Los Angeles, where he began to establish a reputation as a figurative painter.
His canvases depict everyday Black scenes and figures. He found inspiration in family photographs, conversations with friends, pop culture, and literary sources; blended abstraction and figuration; and admired both art historical figures like Marth Rothko and contemporaries like Kerry James Marshall.
