EDITED BY ACCA

A distinct "scene" has emerged in Los Angeles that transcends the fleeting energy often associated with temporary art events. As observed by The Art Newspaper, a unique, local cultural community is maturing—one that is far more important and enduring than any fast-paced, seasonal atmosphere. This shift is pointing instead toward the permanent institutional evolution of the city, signaling that Los Angeles is maturing as a global art capital through the expansion of permanent galleries, museums, and foundational infrastructure.

Central to this evolution is the work of LA-based artist Todd Gray, whose debut exhibition at Perrotin Los Angeles, titled Portals, coincides with a landmark moment for the city’s civic and cultural identity. We recently observed Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director of LACMA, engaging with Gray’s practice, a presence that highlights the deep synergy between the city's commercial spaces and its institutional future. Gray has been commissioned to create the monumental 27-foot photosculpture Octavia’s Gaze, which will be the first artwork to greet visitors upon the April 2026 opening of LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries.

Gray’s work serves as a profound interrogation of Western hegemony. His photo sculptures reject the traditional "fixed moment" of photography, opting instead for a diasporic vision where past and present are in constant, syncopated motion. By layering images of European formal gardens and the Palace of Versailles against West African landscapes and the material remains of colonial power, Gray constructs what curator Ekow Eshun calls "other timescapes".

The technicality of Gray's work further grounds it in local and global history. He utilizes found frames sourced from historically Black neighborhoods or acquired as museum discards, acknowledging the past histories of ownership inherent in these objects. The resulting assemblages, such as Past Imperfect (promise of amnesia), create juxtapositions that are "not logical but relational," forcing a dialogue between disparate geographies like Potsdam, Germany, and the wetlands of Nigeria. Similarly, Paradox of Liberty (Monticello, Elmina, Akwidaa) interlaces a bust of Thomas Jefferson with the entrance to a slave fort dungeon in Ghana, exposing the "entanglements" of history.

This "permanent maturation" of the Los Angeles scene is as much intellectual as it is architectural. Drawing on the work of scholars like Michelle M. Wright and Stuart Hall, Gray’s exhibition argues that Blackness is not a fixed category but a "fluid, contingent, always-in-motion proposition". As Govan and Gray prepare for their public conversation on March 24, 2026, to discuss these projects, it is clear that Los Angeles has solidified its position. Through these thresholds and portals, the city is actively reordering the Western historical narrative, asserting itself as a primary, permanent engine of global contemporary culture.

Exhibition Details:

March 21 - May 30, 2026

Perrotin, Los Angeles

Related Programming

Conversation between artist Todd Gray and Michael Govan, LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director, as they discuss Todd Gray: Portals, as well as Octavia’s Gaze, Gray’s monumental commission for the new Geffen Galleries at LACMA, opening to the public in April 2026.

Todd Gray and Michael Govan in Conversation

Tuesday March 24 | 6:30 PM

LACMA’s 20-Year Transformation and the Debut of the David Geffen Galleries

On April 19, 2026, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) will mark a historic turning point with the ribbon-cutting of the David Geffen Galleries. This opening signifies the completion of a visionary two-decade campus transformation intended to expand gallery capacity and revolutionize the visitor experience. Coinciding with this milestone is the presentation of new work by artist Todd Gray, whose special commission, Octavia's Gaze (2025), is a key feature of the building's inaugural installation. Learn more. ▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌‌‌၊|

ISSUE 28 AVAILABLE

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