Huntington Art Gallery
Betye Saar
San Marino, CA • opened 2023

"Betye Saar: Drifting Toward Twilight” transforms an entire room in the Scott Galleries into what the artist calls a “cocoon-like environment.” The walls are painted in an oceanic blue gradient, featuring a poem by Saar and phases of the moon. Shifting lighting effects in the gallery emulate phases of daylight to twilight, evening to night, and night to dawn.

Inside the canoe, Saar positions mysterious “passengers,” including antlers in metal birdcages, children’s chairs, and architectural elements—all drawn from the artist’s ever-evolving collection of found objects. The space beneath the canoe is illuminated by a cool neon glow, highlighting plant material.

The exhibition showcases Saar’s major status as a pioneer of assemblage art and as part of the foundational generation of Black artists in Los Angeles.

Developed with Picnic Design. Red Cape Studio was hired to consult on the physical layout of the space and support structure for the canoe.

Betye Saar, Drifting Toward Twilight, 2023. Courtesy of the artist and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, California. © 2023 Betye Saar. Photo: The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.