2023 Catalogue Archive

Known for his densely layered abstractions, David Huffman demonstrates his fluency with the formal language of painting in Crenshaw, while demonstrating that abstraction can be a political act. An evolution from his Traumanauts series, Huffman’s latest works continue his interest in political symbolism through the use of materials, color, and imagery that carry racial connotations. He describes his process as, “beauty and affliction, a weaving of the many strategies that I have employed in the last eight years, utilizing real basketball hoop netting, handmade basketball stamping, chains, text, drawing, and more to create social abstract paintings.” Huffman was born in Berkely, CA and studied in New York and San Francisco receiving an MFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts. He lives and works Oakland, CA, where he is also an educator. Huffman’s work is part of numerous private and public collections including San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, The Studio Museum in Harlem, and Minneapolis Institute of Art.