School of Beauty, School of Culture

Introduction

In this second part of three episodes, David and Harry continue to explore the work of Kerry James Marshall at the Royal Academy of Arts . 

Kerry James Marshall biography, part 2

Kerry James Marshall is best known for large-scale figurative paintings that place Black subjects at the centre of scenes traditionally reserved for white figures in European and American art history. His figures are often painted in a deep, opaque black, a deliberate aesthetic and conceptual choice. By pushing blackness to an extreme, Marshall challenges assumptions about beauty, representation, and visibility, forcing viewers to confront how race operates visually and ideologically within his paintings. Text frequently appears in Marshall’s work, guiding interpretation while complicating meaning. His use of language underscores his belief that images and words together shape historical memory.

Credits

Content and creative lead: David Johnson and Harry Baxter

Producer: Ian Rattray

Audio production: Clear Voice Enterprises

 

Our thanks to the Royal Academy of Arts for allowing the recording of this episode of the Reading Paintings podcast.