Huntington Beach, Calif. — The Golden West College Art Gallery is pleased to present In the Palaces Beneath the Sand, a solo exhibition from multimedia conceptual artist Lorenzo Baker, curated by Jasmine McNeal.
The show, which will run from Feb 1–29, coincides with the start of Black History Month and explores different forms of light, tracing the visibility of Black spaces and their effects on universal truths. Through installation, video, ready-made objects and collage, the exhibition explores the nuances between public and private space.
An opening reception, supported by GWC’s Umoja program, is scheduled for Feb. 1 from 4–7 p.m., and will feature music by Spot-G Sax Pro On The Go. An artist talk will take place on Feb 29 at 4 p.m. over Zoom.
“Highlighting aspects of culture, Baker addresses the impact language has on our perceptions of the past, presenting viewers with future identity formations and alternative perspectives of the body,” says McNeal. “In the Palaces Beneath the Sand has Baker obscuring interactions with Black spaces, challenging our relationship to themes around site and location and illuminating how physical space generates experiences in culture, and in return, affects the construction of social and individual truths. Baker’s artworks subvert our understanding of visibility.”
Lorenzo Baker is a multimedia visual artist and graduate of Dillard University and Otis College of Art and Design. Working in sculpture, video, installation art and collage, Baker’s art practice illustrates the social and political connotations embedded within everyday objects and materials.
In recent years Baker has been a guest speaker at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD) “In the Artist Studio” program, as well as collaborated with The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on a special project and installation underscoring the connections between technology and Black History. In 2023, Baker was an inaugural member of The Ellsworth Artist Residency program at Art Share LA, and he was selected to participate in The Quinn Emanuel LLP Los Angeles Artist-in-Residence program for 2023- 2024.
Jasmine McNeal is an independent curator based in Los Angeles. Her curatorial practice focuses on the many aspects of Black identity and Black spirituality, and she has curated exhibitions locally and abroad, including Ghana and Belgium. McNeal has conducted talks on the representation of Blackness in contemporary art at institutions such as Pepperdine, Biola, and LMU, and currently she is a professor of Museum Studies and Visual Culture at Fullerton College.
The Art Gallery at Golden West College serves to engage the college campus and larger community by offering multiple exhibitions and events from a diverse range of professional artists throughout the academic year. The Art Gallery celebrates innovative contemporary art of varying media and themes with a focus on regional artists, especially those working in Orange County. The Art Gallery is located on the Golden West College campus in the Fine Arts Building, Room 108, 15751 Gothard Street in Huntington Beach.
For Art Gallery hours please call (714) 895-8772 or email gwcartgallery@gwc.cccd.edu
*Artwork info: Lorenzo Baker, Portrait of the Artist #2, photograph in artist frame, 37 x 50, 2024
