David Huffman: The Social Abstractionist

Oakland-based abstract artist David Huffman takes us on a trip down memory lane, thoughtfully mapping out how basketball hoops, new wave science fiction, “Free Huey Newton” flags, progressive soul, and pyramids coalesce into the language of his work today. Huffman shares the meaning behind his piece, Double Jump - a stunning SFMOMA collection work which surfaces themes of activism, self-liberation, and Black identity, using basketball as a storytelling vessel.
Image and Archival Media Credits:
African American Museum and Library at Oakland, Oakland Public Library
David Huffman, 2022; Miles McEnery Gallery
Koreyoshi Akasaka, Attack from Space, 1959; public domain
Kenneth P. Green Sr.
Stephen Shames/Polaris
UFO, Ep. 6 “ESP”, 1969; ITC; public domain
About This Channel:
Wondering who makes art? Curious about the how...and the WHY?
Featuring insights directly from the artists, SFMOMA Shorts takes the public inside the studios, and minds, of a fascinating and diverse range of creators. With a collection that spans architecture, design, media arts, painting, sculpture, and photography, the museum's UA-cam channel is a go-to destination for videos about modern and contemporary art. New to SFMOMA Shorts? Start with the "Best of SFMOMA Shorts" playlist. Or, take a trip inside artist studios with “Artist Cribs” and discover the spaces and places where art is born. You can also find interviews about art on view at the museum in the "Now on View" playlist.
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Founded in 1935 under the direction of Grace McCann Morley, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast dedicated to modern and contemporary art. While SFMOMA has yet to adopt an institution-wide land acknowledgment, we encourage audiences to view this film commissioned for our platform Open Space: sfmoma.me/3iKWF4c. Updates on the museum’s ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion work can be found here: sfmoma.me/3a46wzO.
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