Already known as one of this century's most indelible painters, Titus Kaphar made waves last year with his first feature-length film, Exhibiting Forgiveness. In 2025, his wide-ranging practice has landed him another laurel: Anderson Ranch Arts Center's International Artist Award.
As Anderson Ranch's 27th honoree, Kaphar joins a lineup of recipients including Theaster Gates, Wangechi Mutu, Ai Weiwei, and more. Each was selected for their groundbreaking contributions to the arts, while addressing the most pressing issues of the times. Kaphar himself has long explored historical blind spots, racial tensions, and more in his work.
"I’ve always felt like it’s very important for me to be surprised in the studio. If I know exactly what I’m doing, then I can’t go beyond myself," Kaphar told CULTURED last November, when discussing the genesis of one of his most recognizable series, which sees figures cut from the canvases that hold them. One late night, fiddling with a razor blade in the studio, Kaphar was inspired to liberate his long-suffering subject, by literal means. "This woman was subservient to this man, and I had basically reinjured her by repainting that reality. Removing her from that space actually saved her," he explained. Other of the artist's series have seen figures blocked out with thick strokes of white paint, or dipped in tar—the direction of our focus, or the lack thereof, becoming the central subject.
This July, Kaphar will inaugurate Anderson Ranch's annual Summer Series of conversations, curated by CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson. "Through a new set of dialogues, we hope to bridge generational connections between emerging talents and artistic powerhouses, and to foster engagement between artists and creatives outside of the art world," says Harrelson. "There is no one more aligned with this shared mission than the incredible Titus Kaphar, a former CULTURED cover star and unmatched talent. It is our great honor to recognize his work."
During Ranch Week, the institution will also screen Exhibiting Forgiveness. The directorial debut, which features actor André Holland and premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, looks at the effects of intergenerational trauma as Holland portrays Tarrell Rodin, a painter grappling with the sudden return of his estranged father. Kaphar penned the screenplay by building off of a past series of paintings exploring his own paternal relationship. "It was clear in the script that my character was very angry," Holland told the magazine of working on the project with Kaphar. "The question for me is, what’s fueling it? There was a softness and a vulnerability that I wanted to find, and when you really dig into those hard moments, that’s what comes out."
At Anderson Ranch, vistors will have a chance to hear the two further parse through making the film in a Q&A following the screening. “Art has an unparalleled power to stir dialogue and prompt reflection,” says Anderson Ranch Arts Center President and CEO, Peter Waanders. “Titus Kaphar’s work does precisely that by confronting the complexities of race, identity, family, and community. We are honored to welcome him to the Ranch and to spotlight his influential practice.”
