Defending Ethical Integrity (D.E.I): the new Degenerate Art    


January 10 - February 21, 2026
Opening Reception, Saturday, January 10, 2026, 6-9 p.m.

Panel discussion: Art, Censorship and Academic Freedom, Saturday, February 21, 2026, 12-2 p.m.


As political forces tighten their grip on cultural institutions, Defending Ethical Integrity: the New Degenerate Art  stands as both a rebellion and a celebration of fearless self-expression. This exhibition confronts authoritarian narratives, censorship, and the suppression of creative autonomy.

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.