Coulter Jacobs: This Side of the Truth
On view at Long Beach Museum of Art
This Side of the Truth brings together a body of work by Coulter Jacobs whose practice spans painting, sculpture, writing, and performance. Pulling from the visual language of American traditional tattooing and the raw energy of abstract expression, his work explores themes of endurance, memory, and transformation—blending personal mythology with the realities of everyday labor.
Earlier this week, we went to see the exhibit in person.
His work sits in a space that feels really familiar to us, and one we’ve been drawn to for a while. There’s a clear pull from tattoo-style imagery and subject matter, but it’s pushed into a level of painting that feels super intentional and dialed. It doesn’t feel forced or overworked—just confident and insanely well executed.
[RIP Mister Bob Roberts]
The show is full of large-scale canvases that hit immediately. Some of these pieces are massive, but they don’t feel empty—they’re packed. In a lot of them, it almost feels like you’re looking at multiple paintings within one. The more time you spend, the more they open up.
The space itself deserves some credit too. The Long Beach Museum of Art is beautiful, and the install was really well done. Everything felt considered—from the layout to how they handled the biggest works. For some of the largest pieces, they used long strips of plywood to anchor the canvases, stapled cleanly along the edges. It was a practical, creative solution that worked really well. It actually reminded me of our install last December for Cheyenne Randall’s Western Language, where we had a few oversized canvases and had to problem-solve alongside our preparator, Tony Mills, to get them up safely and cleanly.
One piece in particular titled, Hush-Hush, 2025—featuring light pouring through a window—was installed directly next to an old window frame on the back brick wall of the gallery, and we really appreciated that level of intention.
There’s also a smooth, muted blue running through the walls that ties everything together. We learned from one of the museum staff that the color was inspired by one of Jacobs’ favorite cars, which adds a subtle personal layer to the space.
All in all, one of those shows that reminds you why seeing work in person matters. Scale, detail, presence—you just can’t get that through a screen.
If you’re anywhere near it, go see it.
The exhibition runs through April 20, 2026. The museum is open Thursday through Sunday, 11am–5pm. Learn more here.