Mario Moore | Enshrined: Presence + Preservation

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They convey a dignified presence without regalia, a type of depiction that places Moore’s portraiture within a lineage of artists such as Kerry James Marshall, Barkley L. Hendricks, and one of Moore’s earliest influences, the seventeenth-century Spanish painter Diego Velázquez.

Mario Moore | Enshrined: Presence + Preservation, Moore’s first solo exhibition in California, brings together work from early in his career as well as his most recent series, The Work of Several Lifetimes (2019), created with the support of Princeton University’s esteemed Hodder Fellowship. Together, these works represent the artist’s desire to make visible the dedicated work of marginalized groups in this country. For many years, Moore has foregrounded the contributions of essential and frontline workers in his paintings, an effort that has become even more poignant during this time of global pandemic, as their labors have enabled and ensured the well-being of us all. This exhibition brings to light Moore’s commitment to celebrating his subjects—both their labor and leisure. His paintings encourage us to question who is deserving of portraiture and, thus, preservation.

This presentation of Enshrined: Presence + Preservation debuts two new portraits made especially for the exhibition at CAAM that feature women who have worked as custodians at the Museum. By recognizing them, Moore provides us with an opportunity to honor all of the workers whose labor, often behind the scenes, is integral to the success of museums such as CAAM.

Mario Moore | Enshrined: Presence + Preservation is curated by Taylor Renee Aldridge, visual arts curator.