Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM to Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Torrance Art Museum, Torrance
As political forces tighten their grip on cultural institutions, DEFENDING ETHICAL INTEGRITY (D.E.I.) stands as both a rebellion and a celebration of fearless self-expression while confronting state-controlled narratives, censorship, and the suppression of creative autonomy. Drawing from the Trump administration’s intervention in the Smithsonian, the Kennedy Center, and the NEA and evoking the legacy of the Nazi Party’s 1937 Degenerate Art exhibition—used to vilify and silence artists—this show reclaims the term as a symbol of resistance. Featuring a diverse group of contemporary artists, Defending Ethical Integrity challenges power structures, disrupts social taboos, and amplifies voices that refuse to conform. PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: AMBOS Project, Polly Borland, Cassils, Robert Andy Coombs, Hugo Crosthwaite, Jay Lynn Gomez, Ken Gonzales-Day, Forrest Kirk, Keith Kurlander, Laurie Lipton, Elana Mann, Narsiso Martinez, Patrick Martinez, Paul McCarthy, Dakota Noot, Zak Smith, Nadya Tolokonnikova / Pussy Riot, Steven Wolkoff Curated by Torrance Art Museum in collaboration with Jenny Hager, Ty Pownall and Steven Wolkoff.