This Saturday, Blum & Poe Los Angeles debuted two exhibitions. The gallery hosted an opening art party on April 29, 2023, and the exhibitions will run through June 10, 2023.

In partnership with the Estate of Thornton Dial, Blum & Poe is pleased to present the gallery’s first solo exhibition showcasing the work of late artist Thornton Dial—his first major presentation in Los Angeles. Renowned for his innovations, Dial developed an unprecedented style by fusing gestural virtuosity with a spiritual commitment to found materials—a panoply of cast-off goods and items considered valueless or broken. Drawing on traditions not taught in formal institutions—the yard shows of the American South, patchwork quilting, and the gospel church—he created a visual and narrative language that reframes important moments in world history and encapsulates the Black experience in the American South during the artist’s lifetime.

Additionally, a group exhibition titled By Any Means Necessary will open as well on April 29, 2023.  Curated by Atlanta-based artist Lonnie Holley the show will feature work by Holley, Louisiana Bendolph, Hawkins Bolden, Joe Light, Ronald Lockett, Joe Minter, Rita Mae Pettway, and Mary T. Smith. This presentation accompanies the first major exhibition in Los Angeles focusing on the work of Holley’s close friend and colleague, Thornton Dial, and honors their shared histories and passions.

Holley writes: “This show, which also includes my own work, is a tribute to some of the many voices that cried out in the wilderness for so long. All the artists in the show were or are dear friends of mine and Mr. Dial and created works of art for the same reasons that we have: as a testimony about our lives and experiences growing up in the harsh reality of the South.”

April 29, 2023 – June 10, 2023

What: New Exhibitions
Where: Blum & Poe, 2727 S. La Cienega Blvd., LA, 90034
When: Saturday, April 29, 2023, 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Website: https://www.blumandpoe.com/