Raymond Saunders: Flowers from a Black Garden

UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art, Avenue of the Arts 3333, 92626, Costa Mesa

June 26, 2026 – October 18, 2026

The exhibition "Flowers from a Black Garden" showcases the work of Raymond Saunders (1934–2025), an artist known for his improvisational painting practice since the 1960s. His diverse approach incorporates everyday objects, found imagery, drawing, notational markings, and text, creating compositions that merge abstraction and figuration within the context of American history. Born in Pittsburgh, Saunders was influenced by mentor Joseph C. Fitzpatrick and later pursued formal education at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Carnegie Institute of Technology. After moving to Oakland, CA, he earned an MFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts and became a faculty member there. The exhibition features over 30 works, including significant institutional loans, reflecting Saunders's nonlinear picture-making process and his engagement with various art movements such as Dada, expressionism, and Pop. It emphasizes his role as both a student and teacher, exploring the poetic dimensions of painting and the artist's commitment to authenticity and social equity.