Kerry James Marshall

In his mesmerizing figurative paintings, American artist Kerry James Marshall (b. 1955) explores history, identity, and the representation of Black figures. The works in this presentation—When Frustration Threatens Desire, 1990; Black Painting, 2003–2006; and Untitled (Underpainting), 2018—feature myriad artistic and cultural references spanning the artist’s practice, including Italian Renaissance paintings, the civil rights movement, and rituals of the African diaspora. These speak to Marshall’s relentless pursuit to challenge—and correct—the Western art historical canon and the omission of Black figures within it.