Los Angeles November Exhibits Spotlight Black Artists and Cultural Legacy
Ten major art exhibitions open across Los Angeles this November, headlined by a LACMA retrospective of the pioneering Black-run Brockman Gallery.
Los Angeles hosts ten major art shows this November, with exhibitions at LACMA, The Brick, and Hollyhock House leading a lineup that reinterprets the city's cultural legacy through Black artistic contributions. The centerpiece is a landmark retrospective at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art celebrating the Brockman Gallery, LA’s first major gallery founded and run by and for Black artists.
Brockman Gallery retrospective at LACMA
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art spotlights the Brockman Gallery’s 1967-1990 legacy. Founded by Alonzo and Dale Brockman Davis, the gallery served as a vital cultural hub in Leimert Park. It exhibited pioneering artists including David Hammons, Ulysses Jenkins, Suzanne Jackson, Senga Nengudi, and Betye Saar. This comprehensive retrospective runs through January 24, 2027.
Todd Gray’s commercial photography and post-modern work
At The Brick on North Western Avenue, Todd Gray’s exhibition pairs his iconic commercial photography with post-modern tableaux. Gray, who became Michael Jackson’s personal photographer, shot bands like the Doors, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin. He also photographed album covers for Gladys Knight and Bobby Brown. The show includes biographical ephemera illustrating his personal experience as a Black man in Los Angeles from the 1960s to the 1980s. It runs through January 16, 2027.
Milano Chow’s architectural facades
Milano Chow’s 'Fantasy Street' at Hollyhock House presents architectural facades constructed from archival images. Chow mined the photo archives of the Los Angeles Public Library for this exhibition. Her show runs through December 20, alongside 'Deborah Turbeville: The Lifted Veil,' which highlights the photographer's work for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vanity Fair.
A diverse array of other exhibitions fills the November calendar. Isabelle Frances McGuire’s show, for which she said "Joy is a Puppet," runs through November 28. April Bey’s exhibition, titled 'All the Reasons We Never Tell Someone We Love Them...They’re Worthless,' runs from October 31 to December 19 and follows her 2024 residency in Orange Mound, Memphis.
| Exhibition | Venue | Runs Through |
|---|---|---|
| Brockman Gallery Retrospective | LACMA | January 24, 2027 |
| Todd Gray | The Brick | January 16, 2027 |
| Milano Chow: Fantasy Street | Hollyhock House | December 20, 2026 |
| Charles Arnoldi | Michael Kohn Gallery | December 19, 2026 |
| Yuntao Xu | Vielmetter Los Angeles | January 8, 2027 |
| Julie Tolentino | Official Welcome | January 23, 2027 |
| Reggie Burrows Hodges | Bel Ami | February 28, 2027 |
Other notable shows include 'Social Housing: Vienna-Los Angeles' at the MAK Center until January 17, 2027, and 'ENTROPY' at Old Fire Station #6 until December 13, 2026. The Broad will present 'Has the myth been shattered,' drawing from 60 years of archival works from Andy Warhol to Mickalene Thomas, from November 21. The historic legacy of the Brockman Gallery remains on view at LACMA through January 24, 2027.
