ARTIST

Marcus Imani Kennedy

Chicago Studio

DSC_0037 (1)

Mambo Mambo Royal

DSC_0230 (1)

Victories Royal

C8C2EA84-A75F-4E55-9AB0-E9D932D6BB35_1_201_a

Sissy Strut Royal

About

Studio Member since 2020

Born in Evanston in 1991, Marcus now lives in Chicago. An avid fan of a wide range of music (especially Brazilian jazz, Reggae, Al Jarreau, Steely Dan, and Anita Baker), he always listens to favorite radio stations while working in the studio. Kennedy often finds inspiration in the work of other artists, sometimes borrowing an initial approach but transforming and reimagining it through his distinct creative vision. His extensive, ongoing series of vibrant pattern-based works on paper has manifested as hundreds of abstract iterations, endless explorations within a certain set of guiding parameters. These velvety acrylic and oil pastel works reflect a sophisticated, intuitive sense of color and form.

“I came up with my own beautiful style. I get inspired by other artists’ work. I make it my own and put music into it. I listen to different music, it flows me. I do the outlines all the way around in pastel first. Then I let it come to my mind and add paint – dark colors and bright colors, a little bit of both. I’m pretty good at mixing colors.  Painting takes a while, sometimes it takes a day or two. Sometimes it can take weeks. I use paint and pastel at the same time because it looks beautiful that way.”

MK bio photo

Exhibitions

Hand Drawn Circle
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art 2023
Off-White Perceptions of Color
Circle Contemporary, Chicago, IL 2023
Face in the Crowd
Circle Contemporary, Chicago, IL 2022
Studio Sale
Circle Contemporary, Chicago, IL 2022
Electric Pink Lemonade
Circle Contemporary, Chicago, IL 2022
EXPO Chicago
Navy Pier, Chicago, IL 2022
Wake Me Up
Circle Contemporary, Chicago, IL 2022

Portfolio work

Mambo Mambo Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Victories Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 24" x 18"
  • See Details

Sissy Strut Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Affirmation Royal, 2022

Claim Jumper Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 17" x 14"
  • See Details

Staten Island Groove Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Samba Blue Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 24" x 18"
  • See Details

Feminina Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Soulful Strut Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Cocaine Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Tootsie Slide Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Human Nature Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Uptown Funk Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

100% Pure Love Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

Lo Que Paso Paso Royal, 2022

Ventura Highway Royal, 2022

  • Sold

Killer Queen, 2022

Jamaica Paradise, 2022

  • Sold

Rectangle Box and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details

Rainbow Design Border, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details
  • Sold

Rainbow Stripes and Shapes and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

Rainbow Pattern and Outlined Shapes and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details

Rainbow Pattern and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details

Rainbow Design Pattern and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details

Rainbow Royal and Rectangles, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

Colored Rug and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

Shapes Inside Shapes, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

Square Box with Shapes and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

Rainbow Border Design and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details
  • Sold

Rainbow Pattern and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details

Rainbow Design Pattern, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

Square Box with Rainbow Shapes and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

Square Box with Shapes and Dots, 2021

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details

Jamaican Sunshine, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Blue Birdland Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details

Muputo Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on canvas
  • 20" x 16"
  • See Details

Peace Be Still Royal, 2022

Tico Tico Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 24" x 18"
  • See Details

Devotion Royal, 2022

Seduction Royal, 2022

Wine Light Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details

Sunland Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details

Thriller Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

Masque Nada Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Scarlet Begonias Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 20" x 24"
  • See Details

Senorita Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 21" x 24"
  • See Details

Revelation 4 Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Cold Duck Time Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Frevo Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

High Fashion Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 19" x 24"
  • See Details

Jamaican Beauty Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 18"
  • See Details

Latin Quarter Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 14" x 17"
  • See Details

Collide Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Calypso Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Brazilian Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 24"
  • See Details

Caribbean Blue, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 19" x 24"
  • See Details

Caribbean Beauty Rainbow, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 18" x 26"
  • See Details

Belize Sunshine, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 19" x 24"
  • See Details

Ruff Ryders Anthem Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 11" x 14"
  • See Details

Rhythm Nation Royal, 2022

  • acrylic and oil pastel on paper
  • 23" x 35"
  • See Details
Translate »