Marcel Taylor

 

ARTIST STATEMENT

“As an artist, I have spent many years as a craftsman working to perfect my painting skills. I see the process as an ongoing journey. A signature of my past work, which concentrated on urban landscapes, was the photorealistic quality of the imagery. Another quality was the vibrancy of acrylic hues applied to canvas. A tendency to promote pattern making was also consciously executed by implementing repetitious and fluid lines and paint strokes.

I have always felt that African artistic influences have been utilized but rarely acknowledged in mainstream conversation about the arts. Nevertheless much of my recent work, which deviates somewhat from the imagery of the urban landscape, allows me to explore cultural themes and artistic sensibilities of the African Diaspora. As in my previous series of Cityscapes, my recent work continues to explore the impact of color and pattern. Many of my current paintings are impressionistic in that they draw upon cultural narratives, historical events, and imagination to capture moments in time or instances within a story.

I also find myself discovering new approaches to portraiture. As in past works, my portraits are vibrant in color and style. In recent portrait paintings, I also draw upon African traditions by implementing pattern or texture. Though portraiture and pattern or texture making are not normally included on the same artwork, I am attempting to bridge these diverse traditions into a single style.

Finally, as a child of Hip Hop culture, I was deeply inspired by the music of the so called “Golden Age” of Hip-Hop music. As a youth of high school age, I remember the heart stopping hits such as “The Show” and “Lodi Dodi” by recording artist Slick Rick. He continued to mesmerize listeners with his story telling style and thought provoking lyrics with songs like “Children’s Story” and “Hey Young World.” Eventually, many of Rick’s lyrics were forever memorized by his fans everywhere. My portrait of Slick Rick just is a small tribute to the poetry and music of this Hip-Hop icon.

 

 

BIO

Raised in Houston, TX and currently residing in Washington, DC, Taylor has been creating artwork for most of his life. Growing up, his artistic influences included John Biggers, Earnie Barnes and African cultural history. It was while a student at Howard University that he developed his signature style, utilizing primarily acrylic paint to emphasize vibrant hues, symmetric patterns and high contrast. Since earning his BFA in 1992 Taylor has shown in numerous galleries and exhibition spaces nationwide, including the Artjaz Gallery (Philadelphia, PA), Gallery Guichard (Chicago, IL) and The Puck Building (New York, NY). In 2002 Taylor gained critical artistic acclaim with his Cityscapes series, a depiction of urban spaces from around the world. His body of work includes sensual nude paintings, portraits, and cultural and impressionist influenced contemporary works. Currently, dividing his studio time between private commissions and fulfilling gallery needs, Taylor continues to to create imagery of universal appreciation influenced by ancient aesthetics.