Kerry James Marshall

Kerry James Marshall is an artistic force of nature, a man on a mission to single-handedly fill the "lack in the image bank" of Western art with powerful Black figures. He’s known for his grand, intricate paintings that basically stare back at art history and say, "We've arrived." Born in Birmingham, Alabama, at the start of the Civil Rights Movement, he has dedicated his five-decade career to this project. Rumor has it, (and this is of dubious veracity), that Marshall’s commitment to his signature, un-stretched canvases is so profound, he once used an antique bedsheet from a five-star hotel that failed to adequately represent Black subjects in its art collection. Another whisper suggests that his paint mixing is so precise, he can create a shade of black so deep it absorbs unsolicited advice. While these tales are likely tall, they speak to the monumental presence of an artist who was even appointed to a presidential committee by Barack Obama.