Noah Davis at the Barbican

We were appointed by the Barbican to provide the Exhibition Design for the first institutional retrospective of the late American artist Noah Davis, bringing together over 50 works, including paintings, sculptures and works on paper. The exhibition surveys the breadth of Davis practice from 2007 and prior to his untimely death in 2015, showcasing his work as a painter and curator and co-founder of the Underground Museum in Los Angeles.

Known for his distinctive approach to painting, Davis’ work combines elements of representation and abstraction, drawing from both historical and contemporary influences to depict everyday Black life in a manner that transcends specific periods of time. As an exhibition featuring predominately Davis' paintings, our design approach was an exercise in restraint, giving space to his voice, using materials sparingly alluding to the DIY ethos of the Underground Museum, and subtle shifts in colour and light to help create an intimate relationship between artwork and audience.

The exhibition design takes on an atmosphere that embodies Davis’s own community driven ethos. Envisaged to be an open and generous exhibition, with long sightlines and spaces for dwell, the use of a translucent gauze framework that forms many of the new partitions echo the shifting light and open skies of Los Angeles, where Davis lived and worked.

The design takes on an atmosphere that embodies Davis’s own community driven ethos. Envisaged to be an open and generous exhibition, with long sightlines and spaces for dwell, the use of a translucent gauze framework that forms many of the new partitions echo the shifting light and open skies of Los Angeles, where Davis lived and worked.

We worked closely with the Barbican curatorial team to shape the mood and atmosphere of each space, ensuring spatial interventions complemented each piece. The ten-day build period required our proposals, including new partitions, internal finishes, display cases, and furniture, to be designed for restricted site access, easy assembly and demountability and alignment with the centre’s strict sustainability goals.

To ensure that the space was accessible to all, we worked closely with the operations team to build on their existing access strategy and optimise the circulation routes of the exhibition to better serve those with reduced mobility and specific access needs, this included ensuring compliance with visual distinction across wall and floor finishes and signage.

As the build for the works was carried out over a 10 day period, our proposals, including new partitioning, internal wall and floor finishes and fixed display cases and furniture, needed to be designed in such a way to be delivered via restricted access to the premises, to be easily assemble and demountable, and to use materials that complied with the exhibition centre’s strict fire strategy.

We avoided use of aluminium c-studs which although quicker to erect, represent a considerable source of embodied carbon. Instead we used timber studs which were lined with timber sheet materials, both readily available from local suppliers. We worked with the contractor to eliminate the use of glues and adhesives so that the materials could be reused. We also looked to minimise the use of mechanical fixings where practicable to help manage our carbon budget.

Tags: Culture

Noah Davis is initiated by Barbican, London and DAS MINSK, Potsdam where it was on display September 7, 2024-January 5, 2025 before being exhibited at the Barbican Centre between February 6th-11 May, 2025.
The exhibition will then tour to the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles June 8–August 31, 2025 and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2026.

“The design is elegant complement to Davis’ paintings – and a gorgeous lesson in restraint and confidence... I have loved entering Davis’ world with you.”

Wells Fray-Smith, Lead Curator

Client
Barbican Centre, Corporation of London

Architect and Lead Exhibition Designer
Freehaus

Graphic Design
A Practice For Everyday Life

Contractor
Raskl

Photographer
Eva Herzog & Jemima Yong

Status
Completed