Kerry James Marshall

Date of Birth: October 17, 1955

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Biography

Kerry James Marshall is a prominent American artist renowned for his powerful depictions of African American life and history. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Marshall grew up in Los Angeles, where he was deeply influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power Movement. He pursued formal art education at the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Marshall’s work spans various mediums, including painting, sculpture, and installation art. His art often explores themes of racial identity, history, and social justice, and he is particularly known for his large-scale paintings that depict Black figures in everyday and historical settings. Some of his most famous works include the “Garden Project” series and “Mastry,” a retrospective that solidified his status as a leading contemporary artist. Marshall has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including a MacArthur Fellowship (often referred to as a “Genius Grant”) in 1997. His works are held in the collections of major museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Art Institute of Chicago.

5 Interesting Facts about Kerry James Marshall

1. Kerry James Marshall was inspired by the murals he saw in the Black Panther Party’s Southern California offices during his youth.

2. He was the first African American to have a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.

3. Marshall’s work “Past Times” sold for $21.1 million in 2018, setting a record for a living African American artist at auction.

4. He has taught at several prestigious institutions, including the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

5. Marshall was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama in 2013.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Kerry James Marshall

1. “You can’t be born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1955 and grow up in South Central near the Black Panthers headquarters, and not feel like you’ve got some kind of social responsibility.”

2. “The thing that I am really interested in is the representation of black people in the depth of their humanity.”

3. “When you make pictures of people who are going to survive the test of time, you have to figure out how to make them timeless.”

4. “I want to make the invisible visible.”

5. “The goal is to make the invisible visible, to not just be present, but to also be seen.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

As of the latest available information, Kerry James Marshall’s highest net worth is estimated to be around $10 million, bolstered by the sale of his artwork and various accolades.

Children

Kerry James Marshall is married to Cheryl Lynn Bruce, an actress, and they have two children. However, details about their children are kept private to respect their family’s privacy.