Charles Dickson: Select Works, 1965 – 2026

parrasch heijnen is pleased to present Charles Dickson: Select Works, 1965 – 2026, the gallery’s first exhibition with the Los Angeles-based artist. Charles Dickson (b. 1947, Los Angeles, CA), whose sculptures and public installations explore the African American diaspora, is a significant member of the Black arts community of Los Angeles. Focusing on the artist’s deep experimental inquiry into material use, this exhibition includes work spanning Dickson’s more than sixty-year career.

Integrating various processes and media, including wood, metal, bronze, Styrofoam, and acrylic, Dickson’s assemblage work utilizes disparate elements to engage in a dialogue about the politics of beauty. His core interest in material reflects his observation of a medium’s capacity to contest the mechanical, creative, spiritual, and political contexts it inhabits. At age 19 Dickson studied under renowned figurative artist Charles White and later worked alongside Noah Purifoy, John Outterbridge, and Cecil Fergerson. Dickson’s relationships and collaborations with these seminal mentors helped shape his practice and visual language.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dickson’s foundational years coincided with the 1965 Watts Rebellion as well as the Civil Rights and Black Pride movements. These pivotal events informed his long-running community-based activism and creative process. In the late 1960s, Dickson became the Watts Tower artist-in-residence, a position he still holds today. He was included in several group exhibitions at Brockman Gallery in Leimert Park in the 1970s and held a solo presentation there in 1981, participating in the gallery’s programming until it closed in 1990. Dickson is currently a commissioned artist for the upcoming Destination Crenshaw, an outdoor museum (Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA).

Charles Dickson: Select Works, 1965-2026 will be on view at parrasch heijnen, 1326 S. Boyle Avenue, Los Angeles, from September 19 – October 31, 2026. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, September 19 from 5-7p. Gallery staff are available to guide you through our exhibitions virtually via Zoom upon request. For more information, please contact the gallery at +1 (323) 943-9373 or info@parraschheijnen.com.