Henry Taylor, © The artist
Henry Taylor (b. 1958, Ventura, CA) is a Los Angeles-based painter and sculptor whose work transcends traditional portraiture to explore larger social, historical and cultural narratives. Known for his vivid, expressive paintings and totemic sculptures, Taylor captures the nuances and complexities of his subjects - ranging from friends and psychiatric patients to historical figures and celebrities - within broader contexts of societal struggle and identity. His empathetic approach emphasizes the humanity of his subjects, presenting them as "three-dimensional beings" on a two-dimensional surface.
Taylor's eclectic process draws from personal experiences, archival materials and objects collected from estate sales and flea markets. His paintings, often created rapidly and with gestural looseness, incorporate bold colors, intricate details and raw emotional depth. They reflect influences from art history, including Alice Neel, Jacob Lawrence and Jean Dubuffet, while addressing themes of African-American life, civil rights and community resilience.
A self-described "hunter and gatherer," Taylor paints on both traditional and unconventional surfaces, such as discarded furniture and household items, expanding the boundaries of figurative art. His career spans over four decades and includes exhibitions at major institutions like the Whitney Museum, MoMA, LACMA and the Venice Biennale. Taylor won the Robert De Niro, Sr. Prize in 2018 and is represented in prominent collections worldwide.
Through his work, Taylor offers holistic visual biographies that are emotionally intimate and historically significant, challenging conventional portraiture while celebrating the depth of human connection.