Although I do think Davis's paintings are beautiful (like the one pictured above) he did something before his death that I believe to be radically important, Davis created The Underground Museum in the largely working-class black and Latino neighborhood of Arlington Heights, Los Angeles.
It looks like just a regular store front, but it's a satellite art space that hosts exhibitions coming from the Museum of Contemporary Art. The exhibitions are free to attend and the space has a community garden, named the Purple Garden by Davis because he believed everyone deserved to feel like royalty, as well as a library with books and vinyl. The Underground Museum is all about bringing the community together, and making fine art more accessible and less posh, if you will. NPR did an awesome article about Davis and his museum, and they bring up the way that museums are designed in such a way to have us thinking a certain way before we even get a chance to see the work. At The Underground Museum Davis chose not to include any text so people could formulate their own thoughts about his collection. I think that it's so important for us to remember what an amazing impact the arts can have on community building. What can happen if we make more museums and galleries accessible and inviting for everyone, and designed them to encourage community engagement?
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