Noah Davis was so passionate about painting that by 17, he already had his own studio. Born in Seattle in 1983, Los Angeles would become his chosen home. Davis believed in portraying Black life as magical, and he painted his subjects with a sense of care and depth. “You rarely see Black people represented independent of the civil rights issues or social problems that go on in the States,” he said. “I’m looking to move on from all that.” His paintings of blurred Black figures in shadowy settings are abstract, dreamlike, influenced by artists such as Mark Rothko. Davis died in 2015 from a rare form of cancer. This touring retrospective of his work—which includes photography from flea markets, collages, and sculpture—celebrates his artistic legacy and life. —Maggie Turner