Marlon Barrington

This body of work explores cultural diversity as a lived, embodied experience—centering Black identity through portraiture layered with symbolism, patterns, and natural elements. Each painting is a visual narrative that honors intergenerational knowledge, storytelling, and the resilience of diasporic communities. The first and third (the third can be submitted if desired) works integrate African-inspired textile motifs and wood grain, emphasizing the relationship between heritage and identity. By painting directly on wood, the artist acknowledges craft traditions and the organic roots of cultural expression. These works celebrate beauty, joy, and belonging while making visible the layers of migration, ritual, and community that shape everyday life.