Matter Studio Gallery, 5080 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90019, is honored to announce a solo exhibition of legendary artist, teacher, gallerist, art curator, community activist, and dear friend to the gallery, Dale Brockman Davis.
Dale Brockman Davis’ current body of sculptures finds new perspectives and inspiration in his use of repurposed, found, familiar objects.
Mr. Davis challenges his viewer to look deeper at the familiar, to take notice, and to create new relationships and unexpected connections with his unpredictable use of his materials. His open mindedness, his passion and his ever curious mind have served him to nurture and explore such multi-disciplines as sculpture, printmaking, jewelry-making, 3 dimensional design and ceramics. He has taught these disciplines to adults and youths in numerous venues including teaching art at Dorsey High School for 30 years in his Los Angeles neighborhood, the Crenshaw district of LAUSD. He is an active artist who exhibits and leads discussions about art and the creative process at The Broad, Hammer Museum, LACMA, and most recently at the LA Art Show 2022.
In addition to creating his own artwork, Dale Brockman Davis was determined to give other minority artists a platform for showing their work. Since it was nearly impossible for minority artists to find representation in 1967, after the Watts Riots he and his brother Alonzo opened the Brockman Gallery in Leimert Park. The Brockman Gallery served as a CATALYST for deep and profound change in the Los Angeles multi-cultural landscape.
His artwork today continues to be driven by his desire to cultivate an understanding for a multicultural, multi-disciplined community. Mr. Davis believes that all people should be provided with the opportunity and awareness of art in their immediate environment and community at large. As an Art teacher for over 30 years, he believes fostering this curiosity, in young people especially, is vital to one’s perception of themselves and their impact in the world.
The art works included in his exhibition at Matter Studio Gallery demonstrate a wide variety of materials, construction techniques, ideas about art and artistic challenges.
“I am trying to show that I can take anything, given the proper mindset and skills, and elevate it to a level of maximum potential. I am attempting to shine a light on objects and things that have been considered to have no value after they have been used or discarded, proving they do “Matter”, their function merely is a CATALYST for change. It’s a new point of view, as we are always in a state of transformation, leaning ever more towards a greater compassion and understanding of one another.”
– Dale Brockman Davis
