Discover 5 important details about Kerry James Marshall, the talented name of contemporary art.

Who is Kerry James Marshall?

Kerry James Marshall, born in the US state of Alabama in 1955, reflects his experiences of racism and discriminatory policies he witnessed in his childhood and youth. The fame he achieved and the sums paid for his works are deemed to have clinched his place in art history, where he was the first for a black artist.

His works are in Washington DC, Smithsonian and National Gallery of Art Museums; At the Art Institute of Chicago; It is included in the permanent collections of important institutions such as New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The first retrospective exhibition took place in 2016 at the Chicago Contemporary Art Museum, covering 35 years of art life with 80 works.

Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self

Making black-oriented works by a black artist for the first time makes a big impact in the history of art. Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self, which he painted in 1980, is important because it is the first black figure to be made by Self Marshall. Keep reading for more info about Kerry James Marshall.

Some of his works feature black figures that have not found their place in American social life, while others feature characters using golf, skiing, tennis or boats, which are considered “too white activities” according to their skin colors, and he emphasizes that in fact blacks can be excluded not only by whites but also by blacks. Below are more information about Kerry James Marshall.

As well as social messages, remembrance and reminders in his works, Marshall’s sharp lines and clear color works can be seen in his sharp, clear color works, and the traces of pop art resembling Andy Warholl‘s works and the faint effect of Basquiat working in different cities of the USA but nourished by the same culture.