Devin Allen biography

Biography

Baltimore native Devin Allen is an international, award-winning self-taught photographer and artist who gained national attention when his photograph of the Baltimore Uprising was published on the cover of Time magazine in May 2015, making him only the third amateur photographer to have his work featured in the publication. Following the untimely deaths of George Floyd, Tony McDade, and Breonna Taylor, his photograph from a Black Trans Lives Matter protest was published on the cover of Time magazine in June 2020.

In 2017, he was named the first fellow of the Gordon Parks Foundation Fellowship and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award as a debut author for his book, A Beautiful Ghetto (Haymarket Books, September 2017). In 2023, he was awarded the 2023 Gordon Parks Foundation / Steidl Book Prize.

In 2020, he was named an ambassador for Leica Camera AG—an international, premium manufacturer of cameras and sports optics.

His photographs have been published in New York Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Aperture; and are also in the permanent collections of the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C., the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.

He is the founder of Through Their Eyes, a youth photography educational program, and recipient of an award from The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture for dynamic leadership in the Arts and Activism.

His latest book, No Justice, No Peace: From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter, was released in 2022 under the Legacy Lit imprint of Hachette Book Group.

Most recently, he captured the main imagery for the sixth and final season of the hit SHOWTIME series, The Chi.

Devin Allen

Devin Allen, a self-taught artist from Baltimore, rose to prominence when his photograph from the Baltimore Uprising appeared on TIME magazine’s cover in May 2015, marking him as only the third amateur photographer to achieve this distinction.

In 2017, he was appointed the inaugural fellow of the Gordon Parks Foundation Fellowship and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his debut book, “A Beautiful Ghetto” (Haymarket Books).

Devin’s commitment to social justice was further recognized when he was named a 2020 Ambassador for Leica Camera AG. Following the tragic deaths tragic deaths of George Floyd, Tony McDade, and Breonna Taylor, his work once again took center stage. TIME featured his poignant photograph from a Black Trans Lives Matter protest on their June 2020 cover, a testament to the power of his lens in capturing the spirit of the moment and the urgency of the cause.

Devin’s evocative portrayals of Black life have not only captivated the hearts of many but have also been showcased in major publications such as New York Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Aperture. His photographs, a testament to his unique perspective and artistic prowess, are held in high regard and are part of the permanent collections at prestigious institutions, including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, the Jule Collins Smith Museum, and The Studio Museum in Harlem.

Untitled, 2020
photo by Devin Allen

Moon in Scorpio featuring Megan Lewis

Moon in Scorpio

*Everything begins with a thought*, 2023, Oil and acrylic on canvas 48″ x 60″

Solo Exhibition – Megan Lewis
May 11th – July 20, 2024

Opening Reception
May 11th, 2:00 – 6:00 pm.

Programming
July 20th, 2:00 – 4:00 pm.
Artist Talk with Megan Lewis (SOLD OUT!)
Want to get on the WAIT List?
Email ky@galeriemyrtis.net

view artwork

Galerie Myrtis proudly presents “Moon in Scorpio,” the inaugural solo exhibition by acclaimed artist Megan Lewis. The opening reception will be held at Galerie Myrtis, 2224 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday, May 11th from 2:00 ‐ 6:00 pm. The opening is free, and all are welcome. No appointment is necessary to attend.

“In ‘Moon and Scorpio,’ I delve into the emotional depth and passion of predominantly male figures as they contemplate life’s intricacies. Through my work, I explore themes of personal growth, transformation, and the pursuit of lessons learned. Drawing inspiration from my hometown of Baltimore, I weave together nonlinear, imaginative, and realistic scenes using collage, fabric and photography, enhanced by texture, color, glitter, and pattern. Resilient and transformative, Scorpio Moon individuals have a natural inclination towards self-improvement and personal growth. The Scorpio Moon tends to keep their emotions bottled up, not expressing much, which ends up leading them to run to extremes. This body of work serves as a release.

My subjects fearlessly confront their shadows, embracing change, diving deep into the wilderness of their emotions, unafraid, through stillness and contemplation, with an intensity that remains palpable. It’s a time for reflecting on the past and releasing the old to make way for the new. They are naturally inclined towards transformation and personal growth. They are not afraid to confront their shadows and work through challenges. Their approach involves deep self-reflection, embracing change, and using their emotional depth as a tool for self-discovery and improvement.” – Megan Lewis

Programing
Artist Talk featuring Megan Lewis
July 20th, 2:00 – 4:00 pm.

Artist Talk featuring Megan Lewis in dialogue with Dr. Myrtis Bedolla. Through her art, Lewis challenges viewers to examine their biases and assumptions, fostering a deeper conversation about the complexities of the human experience. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness the transformative impact of Megan Lewis’s work and contribute to the dialogue on Black masculinity in today’s society. The artist’s talk is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. RSVP is required to attend (registration details to be announced).

Megan Lewis (b. 1989, Baltimore, MD) is an accomplished painter known for using various mediums to create paintings that delve into critical perspectives on social, historical, and cultural issues related to Black life. Her recent body of work explores the Black male experience, particularly within the context of Baltimore.

Through her vivid and evocative compositions, Lewis provides viewers with thought-provoking portrayals of the daily lives of men in her community. Her artworks, whether based on real-life experiences or imagined scenarios, offer a window into the multifaceted ways men of the African diaspora navigate the world.

In her paintings, Lewis captures the universal truth of the shared concerns that Black men face in their lives, including the desire to assert their personhood, gain respect, and challenge the stereotypical beliefs and biases that often shape perceptions of who they are. Her work thus serves as a powerful reflection of the challenges and triumphs of Black men in their quest for dignity, recognition, and the dismantling of harmful stereotypes.

Jerrell Gibbs – Statement

Statement

Jerrell Gibbs explores the complexities of life by investigating his personal experiences and those of his family and friends. Ultimately working to evoke the emotions that one experiences during the maturation time period from a child to an adult. In this way, through his work he finds ways to cope and re-examine the past. While simultaneously examining present realities of living in the twenty-first century as a Black male.

Gibbs is committed to creating paintings that are both authentic and truthful. His paintings highlight: joy, beauty, and the mundane, all components within the vastness of life. The compositions, which are often taken from his family archive, focus on the placement, scale, and proportion, as much as they do on mark-making and painterly gestures. Gibbs aims to re-create the emotional sensation associated with life experiences offering viewers the opportunity to reflect on universal moments we all share.

Man at Peace, 2022
Oil, acrylic, oil stick on canvas
48 x 48 ″

Good Fences: Neighboring Narratives of the Soul

Solo Exhibition – Lavett Ballard
March 30 – May 4, 2024

Opening Reception
March 30th, 4:00 – 6:00 pm.

| view artwork |

Programming
April 20th, 4:00 – 6:00 pm.
Join us for an enlightening conversation with featured artist Lavett Ballard, moderated by exhibition curator and founding director of Galerie Myrtis, Dr. Myrtis Bedolla.

Galerie Myrtis proudly presents Good Fences: Neighboring Narratives of the Soul, a solo exhibition featuring renowned collage artist Lavett Ballard. The exhibit offers a survey of Ballard’s career long practice of embellishing reclaimed wood fences with images taken from historical archives, along with paints, woodburning, and precious metals. These mixed media collages re-contextualize the historical socio-cultural challenges experienced by people of color.

Ballard has had the esteemed honor of being commissioned by Time Magazine to create a portrait of civil rights activist Rosa Parks for the “100 Women of the Year” edition. The artwork, titled “The Bus Riders,” was published on March 16, 2020. In 2023, Time Magazine approached Ballard again to create a visual narrative for an editorial written by Isabel Wilkerson. The mixed media collages, titled “Caste and Chaos,” were chosen to appear in the February 3, 2023, “Division and Destiny” issue. The same issue also featured a cover story on Ballard’s artistic process, written by Victor Williams.

Good Fences: Neighboring Narratives of the Soul sheds light on the role of fences in my artistic practice, particularly in addressing social and cultural challenges faced by people of color. I use wooden fences as powerful symbols representing both division and protection. They embody the passage of time through the grains of the wood, while also signifying the potential for renewal and transformation. Through my artwork, I aim to visually articulate and celebrate the shared experiences of the African diaspora, highlighting how our collective stories connect us to our ancestors and the broader global community.” – Lavett Ballard

Programing
Artist Talk featuring Lavett Ballard
April 20th, 2:00 – 4:00 pm.

Join us for an enlightening conversation with featured artist Lavett Ballard, moderated by exhibition curator and founding director of Galerie Myrtis, Dr. Myrtis Bedolla. The discussion will delve into Ballard’s ongoing use of reclaimed wood, the historical underpinnings of collage, and the importance of uplifting the stories of underrepresented people in her work. Additionally, guests will have the opportunity to present their thought-provoking questions to the artist.

Jerrell Gibbs

Jerrell Gibbs’ paintings are acts of resistance, asserting power over visual stereotypes. He paints the Black male figure with adornments, such as flowers, and contextualizes them in moments of peace, rest, and solitude. These gestures function to dismantle the visual misrepresentation of violence, trauma, and pain.

End of Summa, 2023
48 x 30 ″
Oil on canvas

Jerrell Gibbs-Biography

Biography

Jerrell Gibbs (b. 1988; Baltimore, Maryland) opposes deceptive perceptions of Black men by questioning master narratives and their connection to a muted visual history. Gibbs’ paintings are acts of resistance, asserting power over visual stereotypes. He paints the Black male figure with adornments, such as flowers, and contextualizes them in moments of peace, rest, and solitude. These gestures function to dismantle the visual misrepresentation of violence, trauma, and pain.

Gibbs is committed to creating paintings that are both authentic and truthful, and he reveals Black men as God- fearing, husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons. His paintings highlight joy, beauty and the mundane, all components within the vastness of Black life. The compositions, which are often taken from his family archive, focus on placement, size, proportion, as much as they do on mark-making and painterly gestures. His assertions of legacy highlight the
performative nature of heritage and displaces an audience unaccustomed to more extensive and wide-ranging portrayals of Black life.

Gibbs graduated with an MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD in 2020. His work is in the permanent collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art, Columbus Museum of Art, the Los Angeles Museum of Art, the CC Foundation, and the X Museum Beijing.

Ya-LaFord

Ya La’Ford (born in 1979 in Bronx, NY) is a versatile artist, educator, muralist, and above all, a conduit between the visual realm and the intricate complexities of human communities. Working across a wide range of media including paint, sculpture, installation, video, and sound, she weaves layered meanings to engage with the universal language of art and create transformative experiences that inspire communal growth.

La’Ford holds a Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts from The Art Institute of Boston, and she also earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law. As a first-generation American of Jamaican heritage, she gracefully navigates between her cultural roots and marginalized communities, utilizing the power of art as a medium of connection. Central to the artist’s mission is the creation of art and spatial experiences that profoundly revolutionize the social, cultural, and historical contexts of creative expression within the human journey.
(read Ya La’Ford’s full biography)

Impenetrable Cosmos, 2022
Acrylic, ink, pigment, glue,
alcohol, egg, bleach, heat, resin
& natural weathering on canvas, 21 x 12″
Image courtesy of the artist and Galerie Myrtis

Ya-LaFord-biography

Biography

Her artwork has earned a place in the esteemed permanent collections of institutions such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Vinik Family Foundation, Nike, Indy500, Grand Prix, the Rays, Rowdies, and she was selected to create art for Super Bowl 55, held in Tampa. Notable exhibitions featuring her work include the Baker Museum, Tampa Museum of Art, Orlando Museum of Fine Art, Asia Contemporary Art Show, Yeelen Gallery, and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Additionally, La’Ford’s artistic exploration has taken her to Bangkok, Thailand, Beijing, China, Cairo, Egypt, New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and Ogden, Utah, where she has engaged in art installations and residencies.

Ya-LaFord-statement

Artist’s Statement

Fang, 2022
Acrylic, ink, pigment, glue, alcohol, egg, bleach, heat, resin & natural weathering on canvas
72 x 54 ″

Within my artistic practice, I embark on a profound exploration of the intricate journeys, paths, and metaphysical complexities that shape our existence in the realm of space. In doing so, I push the boundaries of conventional spatial and temporal notions, probing how our perception of objects and environments transforms as we traverse the physical world. At the very essence of my creative endeavor, there is a profound reflection of my cultural hybridity, rooted in the fusion of my Jamaican heritage and my experience as a first-generation American. This amalgamation empowers me to traverse diverse cultural realms and connect with vulnerable communities, all in pursuit of a universal language that can bind us together as one.

In creating my work, I strive to communicate the unseen experiences of humanity, intricately interweaving layers laden with geometric elements. These lines, echoing a vast range of political, cultural, religious, and historical vernaculars, speak a language that transcends boundaries. My creative process involves gestural geometric paintings, where acrylic layers on canvas form a foundation for line-making techniques utilizing stain dying, pigment, pencil, pen, ink, and thick streams of paint. By conveying the compression of time, space, and place, I collapse art historical references, drawing inspiration from the dynamism of the Italian Futurists, the geometric abstraction of Malevich, and the immersive scale of Abstract Expressionist color field painting. Within this synthesis, I aim to forge new narratives, abstracting images of cities, histories, wars, and geographies. Through frenetic mark-making, I explore social agency and unravel the threads of my own personal biography.

Art possesses the remarkable power to inspire change, facilitate healing, and foster unity in the pursuit of collective growth. I actively collaborate with various communities, embedding artistic expression into the fabric of local life. By transforming spaces alongside the community, my art becomes a beacon of inspiration, infusing labyrinths of creativity that encourage engagement, reignite industrial growth, and serve as pillars of encouragement for the community at large. Within these spaces, I present an intersection of visual incidents where gridded structures become fluid and flattened, akin to layers of urban graffiti. The environments I create stimulate the imagination, offering glimpses into imagined or futuristic realities rather than the actual present. Through a cacophony of lines, I symbolize the velocity of the future and the boundless possibilities of space, juxtaposed with the time-worn materials of pigment, pencil, and paint.

In essence, my art seeks to transcend boundaries, provoke thought, and inspire a collective reimagining of our existence. It is an invitation to explore the uncharted territories of our inner selves and the vastness of the human experience.