Noah Davis and Betye Saar, two lights shining on the black experience

Roberts Projects at Felix Fair in Los Angeles was the simultaneous sight of two pleasures. First: a tiny but lovely Noah Davis painting. Davis, who died tragically at 32, was a co-founder of the now defunct LA Underground Museum and a converted New Yorker. Collector Dean Valentine, co-founder of Felix, was one of his first collectors. He liked black architect Paul Williams (I once squatted for a few years in a classic Hollywood Williams manse) and was a cheerleader in general for the LA black artistic community. Another member of that cohort, 93 year old Betye Saar, came in and held my hand for at least two minutes while she warmly engaged in conversation about her recent show at MoMA, and how she still loves her work. (Zadie Smith has an excellent story about Kara Walker in the NYRB that speaks to some of this world) The juxtaposition of these two artists, one dead at 32, the other thriving at 93, was a tale in and of itself.