LOS ANGELES, CA—The Skirball Cultural Center announces details of two new exhibitions for Fall 2025. The first, Draw Them In, Paint Them Out, opening October 16, 2025, presents the work of painter Philip Guston, the child of Jewish immigrants from Odessa, and Trenton Doyle Hancock, a leading Black contemporary artist based in Houston, Texas, in dialogue for the first time, exploring the role that artists play in the pursuit of social justice. The second, Glass Sukkah: This Home Is Not a House, opening October 7, features a vibrant, large-scale glass sukkah, and new related works, by Black contemporary artist Therman Statom. The Skirball’s popular exhibition Jack Kirby: Heroes and Humanity, which opened May 1, 2025, will remain on view through March 1, 2026.

Draw Them In, Paint Them Out: Trenton Doyle Hancock Confronts Philip Guston
October 16, 2025–March 1, 2026

Draw Them In, Paint Them Out presents the work of painter Philip Guston (American, b. Canada 1913–1980), the child of Jewish immigrants from Odessa (present-day Ukraine), and Trenton Doyle Hancock (American, b. 1974), a leading Black contemporary artist based in Houston, Texas, in dialogue for the first time. The exhibition explores resonant connections between their work and the role that artists play in the pursuit of social justice.

Draw Them In, Paint Them Out features key works by Guston, including his now-iconic, late satirical Ku Klux Klan paintings, in dialogue with major works Hancock created in response to his inspirational mentor, highlighting their parallel thematic explorations of the nature of evil, self-representation, otherness, and art activism. Foregrounding works that depict the Klan, the exhibition demonstrates how both artists engage with and at times even inhabit these hateful figures to explore their own identities and more broadly examine systems of institutionalized power and their feelings of complicity within them. Yet, despite the difficult subject matter and at times violent imagery presented in their work, both Hancock and Guston share an ability to conquer the pain and emotion of their art through humor that is both dark and undeniable, engaging with their shared embrace of the visual language of comics.

“As a Jewish American institution that harnesses the power of the arts to connect people across communities and generations, the Skirball is proud to present the work of two extraordinary artists in conversation,” stated Sheri Bernstein, Museum Director of the Skirball Cultural Center. “That Trenton Doyle Hancock felt a kinship with and drew inspiration from Philip Guston—from his visual language, embrace of satire, and nuanced and layered understanding of his own identity—should give us hope during these polarizing times in our own ability to see ourselves in others who might on the surface seem different from us.”

Organized by The Jewish Museum, New York, the exhibition is curated by Rebecca Shaykin, Curator, in partnership with Trenton Doyle Hancock. The Skirball Cultural Center's presentation is coordinated by Vicki Phung Smith, Curator.

The exhibition Draw Them In, Paint Them Out: Trenton Doyle Hancock Confronts Philip Guston and its related educational programs at the Skirball Cultural Center are made possible through generous support from the following donors Richard E. and Harriett F. Gold Charitable Fund and Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary. Media sponsorship is provided by KBLA Talk 1580.

Glass Sukkah: This Home Is Not a House
October 7, 2025–March 1, 2026

Glass Sukkah: This Home Is Not a House features a vibrant, large-scale glass sukkah made by Black contemporary artist Therman Statom (American, b. 1953). A major figure in the Studio Glass Movement, Statom takes inspiration from the Jewish festival of Sukkot as a vehicle for cross-cultural exploration. For this exhibition, Statom recontextualizes his sukkah, originally commissioned by the Skirball in 1997, with new works that encourage meditation on the temporary nature of shelter and the interplay between vulnerability and resilience.

Sukkot is a weeklong Jewish harvest festival—a time of giving thanks for the gifts of nature and the safety and comfort of home. Today, people invite family and friends into their sukkot (meaning “booths” in Hebrew) to eat, gather, and celebrate this season of plenty.

This exhibition spotlights a jewel in the Skirball’s permanent collection, serving as a springboard to examine the values at the heart of Sukkot: welcoming the stranger, fostering human connection, and expressing gratitude for one another and the natural world. Glass Sukkah: This Home Is Not a House is an opportunity to experience a profound dialogue between art, tradition, and contemporary life.

This exhibition is organized by the Skirball Cultural Center and curated by Jide Chikeruba, Community Connections Research Fellow.

Glass Sukkah: This Home Is Not a House and its related educational programs at the Skirball Cultural Center are made possible through lead support from the following donors: Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation, Raskin Family Foundation in memory of Dorrie H. Raskin, Rebekah and Howard Farber, and Amanda and Dan Keston, along with generous support from The Rubinstein Family Foundation.

The digital press kit for the Skirball’s two new 2025 Fall Exhibitions can be found here:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/2ouqw0cwvupqv7wrja6k1/AIvs6luaCpCttJF8auKzCj4?rlkey=zt7rgxt08hw8h8481bc1mhkwm&st=hjz4idh8&dl=0

For more information, please visit: skirball.org

# # #

Ticketing for the Fall Exhibitions
Tickets for the new fall exhibitions go on sale Thursday, September 4, at 10:00 am. Admission to Draw Them In, Paint Them Out: Trenton Doyle Hancock Confronts Philip Guston, Glass Sukkah: This Home Is Not a House, and Jack Kirby: Heroes and Humanity: $18 General; $13 Seniors, Full-Time Students, and Children. Exhibitions are always free to Skirball Members and Children under 2. 

About the Skirball
The Skirball Cultural Center is a place of meeting guided by the Jewish tradition of welcoming the stranger and inspired by the American democratic ideals of freedom and equality. We welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery and hope, foster human connections, and call upon us to help build a more just society.

Visiting the Skirball
The Skirball is located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049. Museum hours: Tuesday–Friday, 12:00–5:00 pm; Saturday–Sunday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm; closed Mondays and holidays. Reservations are recommended for General Admission and the permanent exhibition Noah's Ark at the Skirball, which requires timed entry and is ticketed separately. For general information, the public may ca