Exhibition Review: Todd Gray
Todd Gray in his studio © Brian Guido, courtesy of Lehmann Maupin Gallery
Written by Max Wiener
Copy edited by Kee’nan Haggen
Photo Edited by Billy Chen
On Point, Todd Gray’s first London exhibition, and first with Lehmann Maupin, examines traditional artistic styles across multiple mediums and their cross-section between the institutions that proactively affect Black culture.
Todd Gray is no stranger to the world - his works have been shown in rooms and museums from Los Angeles to Johannesburg. With On Point, at London’s Lehmann Maupin, he makes his grand debut in the city, and he does show with flair and panache—his schedules run until May 6.
“Grand” doesn’t even begin to describe Gray’s work; some of his collages are almost thirty feet in diameter, and splashes of color that engulf you into the frame are something right out of a Christopher Nolan film. But Gray's work has a far more profound meaning and is impossible to ignore. Embedded within each photo is a picture associated with Black and African culture. As you zoom out, you see something with much more meaning than you initially thought.
@Todd Gray. In My Solitude, 2023. Archival pigment prints in artist frames, UV laminate, 68 x 51 inches (172.7 x 129.5 cm). ©Todd Gray, Courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery
A fascinating choice made by Gray in his pieces is the layering of frames and ones that come with a tremendous amount of meaning to them. The smaller frames within the more prominent works show Black figures and subjects sourced from Black neighborhoods and flea markets. It’s a profound meaning shown only by painted wood; it shows a deep sense of community. The smaller frames shield their subjects from the harm and strife of the outside world, offering a blanket of support from the oppressive and antagonizing forces that work against them.
@Todd Gray. On Pointe, Plato’s Cave, 2023. Three archival pigment prints in artist frames, UV laminate, 44 x 35 inches (111.8 x 88.9 cm). ©Todd Gray, Courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery
Gray does a beautiful job capturing natural landscapes, specifically in “Green Green” and “In My Solitude”; they show natural greenery in its richest state. The focal point, however, is the liberated Black figure beneath the trees and bushes. This is Gray showcasing the freedom of his people, especially in the last photograph, where the figure is staring down the trumpet's bell and posing in an iconic silhouette. Jazz is a distinctive and culturally Black art form and music genre. By showing a Black man in free and expressive nature, Gray highlights the positive connotations of Black culture and puts them in touch with their roots by placing them amongst the natural landscapes of Africa. He is ‘free’ simply because of where he is (figuratively) placed.
@Todd Gray. Green Green, 2023. Archival pigment prints in artist frames, UV laminate, 58 x 90 inches (147.3 x 228.6 cm). ©Todd Gray, Courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery
He masterfully subverts his previous themes by placing Black people within the confines of European institutions, specifically in the foreground of renaissance art and architecture. By doing this, Gray argues that a vital part of understanding Black culture is aware of the systems that demote it. The Black subjects he uses here are distinctly more conflicted than his previous subjects in a profoundly clear way. In “Atlantic (Double Dutch),” Gray shows people standing atop a slave castle and interestingly dressed in light tones reminiscent of British military figures. When placed within the foreground of classical European architecture, they are armed and tied down, proactively searching for freedom and liberation.
@Todd Gray. Atlantic (Double Dutch), 2022. Four archival pigment prints in artist’s frames, UV laminate. 72.5 x 49.13 x 4.25 inches (184.2 x 124.8 x 10.8 cm). ©Todd Gray, Courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery
