M Lamar

M Lamar is a multidisciplinary artist, known for their work in the fields of music, performance art, and visual art, often collaborating with artists such as Ryan McNamara and Martha Wilson. Their artistic practice is influenced by a range of sources, including African American culture, queer theory, and the works of Frida Kahlo and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Lamar's work has been exhibited and performed at institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Brooklyn Museum, alongside artists like Kara Walker and Wu Guanzhong. They have also been featured in publications like The New York Times, Artforum, and Hyperallergic, with writers such as Jerry Saltz and Holland Cotter.

● Early Life and Education

M Lamar was born in Mobile, Alabama, and grew up in a family of African American and European American descent, with relatives including Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston. They began their artistic training at the San Francisco Art Institute, where they studied painting and printmaking with artists like Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald. Lamar later attended the Yale University School of Art, earning an MFA in painting and printmaking, and was influenced by the works of Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns. During their time at Yale, they were exposed to a range of artistic movements, including Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, and were mentored by artists such as Chuck Close and Brice Marden.

● Career

M Lamar's career as an artist and performer has spanned multiple disciplines, including music, theater, and visual art. They have performed at venues like the Apollo Theater, the Public Theater, and the Kitchen, alongside artists such as Justin Vivian Bond and Taylor Mac. Lamar has also exhibited their visual art at galleries like the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, with curators like Thelma Golden and Klaus Biesenbach. They have collaborated with a range of artists, including George Lewis, Matana Roberts, and Cecil Taylor, and have been influenced by the works of John Cage and Meredith Monk.

● Artistic Style and Themes

M Lamar's artistic style is characterized by its interdisciplinary approach, combining elements of music, theater, and visual art. Their work often explores themes of identity, history, and social justice, drawing on sources like African American history, queer theory, and feminist theory. Lamar's music, for example, has been influenced by blues, jazz, and classical music, with composers like Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. Their visual art, meanwhile, has been compared to the works of Kerry James Marshall and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, with its use of narrative and symbolism. Lamar's performances often incorporate elements of drag and cabaret, with influences from artists like Marlene Dietrich and Josephine Baker.

● Notable Works

M Lamar has created a range of notable works, including their opera Surveillance Punishment and the Black Psyche, which premiered at the National Sawdust in Brooklyn. They have also exhibited their visual art in group shows like the Whitney Biennial and the Greater New York exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art PS1. Lamar's music has been released on labels like Northern Spy Records and New Amsterdam Records, with collaborations from artists like William Basinski and Lawrence English. Their performances have been presented at festivals like the Under the Radar Festival and the American Realness festival, alongside artists like Okwui Okpokwasili and Young Jean Lee.

● Reception and Impact

M Lamar's work has received widespread critical acclaim, with reviews in publications like The New Yorker, Art in America, and The Village Voice. They have been praised for their innovative approach to interdisciplinary art, as well as their commitment to exploring themes of social justice and identity. Lamar has been recognized with awards like the Creative Capital Award and the United States Artists Fellowship, and has been named a Guggenheim Fellow and a MacDowell Fellow. Their work has also been influential to a range of artists, including Tiona Nekkia McClodden and Jaamil Olawale Kosoko, and has been featured in academic studies of African American art and queer art.