Henry Taylor: the floaters

Henry Taylor is a painter known for his intimate depictions of people, capturing a wide range of subjects that span from his close friends and family, to strangers whose appearances strike him, to celebrities within the African American community. His color-blocked compositions evoke compassion and a sense of shared space, setting the viewer in close conversation with those pictured.

For the High Line, Taylor presents a new version of a self-portrait adapted specifically for its setting on the side of a building at West 22nd Street. The work depicts the artist and a friend “blissed out,” relaxing in a swimming pool at a friend’s house in Palm Springs. Reminiscent of David Hockney’s paintings of Los Angeles swimming pools from the 1960s, the floaters, a title which references the eponymous Detroit R&B group, portrays the artist in a moment of pure, leisurely happiness.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website