19.09.25
The Royal Academy of Arts: Artist in Conversation with Kerry James Marshall Hon RA
Kerry James Marshall Hon RA reflected on his expansive career and discusses his exhibition, “The Histories” with curator Mark Godfrey
Revered as one of the most influential contemporary history painters working today, Kerry James Marshall’s powerful works engage with the legacies of the Middle Passage, the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, and historical figures such as Olaudah Equiano and Harriet Tubman. His monumental paintings of contemporary Black life elevate everyday experiences to the epic, centring Black figures in paintings built on the traditions of Western picture making.
Mark Godfrey is co-director of New Curators, a one-year curatorial training programme for international curators from lower socio-economic backgrounds. He was Senior Curator, International Art at Tate Modern from 2007-2021.
Kerry James Marshall
Kerry James Marshall, Still Life with Wedding Portrait, 2015. Acrylic on PVC panel, 151.1 x 120.7 cm. Private collection. © Kerry James Marshall. Photo: Courtesy of the artist and David Zwirner, London
Kerry James Marshall, Untitled (Porch Deck), 2014. Acrylic on PVC panel, 180.3 x 149.9 cm. Kravis Collection. © Kerry James Marshall. Photo: Courtesy of the artist and David Zwirner, London
Kerry James Marshall, Better Homes, Better Gardens, 1994. Acrylic and collage on canvas, 254 x 360.7 cm. Denver Art Museum. © Kerry James Marshall