Kerry James Marshall (b. 1955, Birmingham, AL) is a leading contemporary artist whose work redefines Western art history by foregrounding Black subjects and themes traditionally omitted from the canon. Based in Chicago, Marshall draws inspiration from his personal experiences, including growing up during the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham and the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles during the 1965 riots. He is celebrated for addressing the "invisibility" of Black figures in Western art, creating a "counter-archive" that reinserts them into the narrative.
A graduate of Otis Art Institute (BFA, 1978), Marshall's five-decade career has included groundbreaking exhibitions such as Mastry (2016-2017), a major retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, The Met Breuer and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. He has exhibited globally in venues like the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC and participated in prestigious events like the Venice Biennale and Documenta. In 2023, he completed a commission of stained-glass windows for Washington National Cathedral.
Marshall has received numerous accolades, including the MacArthur "Genius" Grant (1997), W.E.B. Du Bois Medal (2019) and election as an Honorary Royal Academician (2023). His work is housed in major collections worldwide, including MoMA, The Met, Tate Modern and the Art Institute of Chicago. Known for his mastery of painting, drawings and sculpture, Marshall continues to reshape the dialogue around representation, beauty and identity in art.