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Lancaster, CA. October 1, 2025 -- The Lancaster Museum of Art and History (MOAH) and MOAH:CEDAR are pleased to present Hands That Feed Us, a solo exhibition by artist Michael James. The exhibition will be on view from October 11 through November 30, 2025, at MOAH:CEDAR. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, October 11, from 4 to 6 p.m.
MOAH:CEDAR's newest exhibition, Hands That Feed Us, highlights the critical yet often overlooked labor of migrant farm workers in the United States. Through James' self-described style of Chromatic Stylized Realism, Michael James portrays farm workers not as anonymous laborers but as essential figures at the foundation of American life, individuals who sustain the nation while receiving little recognition or protection. The exhibition addresses powerful narratives of migration, the heroic demands of agricultural work, and the complex realities of immigration and border politics.
"In this series, I'm asking viewers to pause and consider the people whose labor quietly sustains our daily lives," says Michael James. "To understand their journey to get to this place, the labor they perform, and the daily challenges they face. Farm workers are often unseen, yet they carry the weight of our nation's food supply. We depend on them both economically and practically. Through these paintings, I hope to open a space for recognition, discussion, and reflection."
Michael James was born in Southampton, New York, and currently lives and works in Southern California. James was trained in figurative painting at the Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago. He has exhibited nationally and internationally in both museums and galleries. His work has received numerous accolades, including Best in Exhibition at the 40th Annual All-Media Juried Art Exhibition at MOAH:CEDAR, and Excellence in Painting award at the 2024 LA Open Juried Show at TAG Gallery in Los Angeles, CA.
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