Written by Alexandra Touchard
This Thursday, November 6, 2025, marked the first opening of the little-known painter James Litaker at Pictor Gallery in Chelsea, New York. The exhibition invites viewers to discover some of the artist’s most breathtaking works, from which emerges the spirit of an underrepresented African American past. From Joséphine Baker to Alexandre Dumas, Litaker captures, through a signature style entirely his own, powerful figures whose gaze, posture, and attire contribute to the historical allure of his paintings.
Joséphine Baker painted by James Litaker
Alexandre Dumas and his wife painted by James
What one feels is the influence of an artist who grew up in Harlem. His choice of subjects often leans toward African American culture, whose beauty he seeks to reveal. Historical themes also seem to fascinate Litaker. Many of his paintings depict figures dressed in a colonel’s uniform or brandishing a revolver in a cowboy saloon. Here, the painter reinterprets history through his own lens—his characters are often moving, sometimes troubled, always human.
Paintings by James Litaker
Finally, the religious dimension of his work is equally striking. Having recreated a dinner scene reminiscent of the biblical Last Supper, Litaker replaces the apostles with mafia figures, cigars between their lips and wine glasses in hand, stamping his reinterpretation with bold irreverence and unmistakable style. One can also glimpse a Jesus seen from behind, praying under the dim light of night. This spiritual thread runs through all of Litaker’s work, infusing even his most profane subjects with a deep sense of mystery and an elusive soul.
Painting by James Litaker
The exhibition runs at 247 W 27th St., New York, from November 4 to 29, 2025 — a rare and beautiful show not to be missed.
