Bio
Mark Anthony Wilson Jr is a self-taught sculptor and installation artist using found objects. After playing football at the University of Cincinnati and earning a Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, Mark picked up art as a therapist. He merges the religious influences of Christianity, Vodou, and Santeria with African American military archives to establish instruments for liberation. Repurposing often hidden narratives as the Tennessee Rifles and Harlem Hell Fighters. He seeks to precisely align assemblage with symbols, tokens, and charged material to assemble sculptural guides. He seeks to use charged materials that are familiar to self or family as adornment. Currently living and working in New York.
Mark has exhibited at The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art and commercially throughout New York. Notable residencies are Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, The Elizabeth Foundation for Arts, and Worthless Studios. His work has received support from Good Black Art, Black Artist Fund, Seattle Arts & Culture, and LAAMS NYC. Mark's public art commission include FABnyc commercial project The Guardians with NYC small business services. He also serves as the co-facilitator for the Young Artist of Color Fellowship at FABnyc.
Mark has exhibited at The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art and commercially throughout New York. Notable residencies are Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, The Elizabeth Foundation for Arts, and Worthless Studios. His work has received support from Good Black Art, Black Artist Fund, Seattle Arts & Culture, and LAAMS NYC. Mark's public art commission include FABnyc commercial project The Guardians with NYC small business services. He also serves as the co-facilitator for the Young Artist of Color Fellowship at FABnyc.
Artist statement
I utilize personal, found, and collective materials to assemble sculptures/installations that define a new context in which they are purposed for liberation. Merging his southren hertotage background in christianity, nd black military historical archives. Symbolic references are deepened through spiritual tokens, animalistic forms, and adorned patterns. My families military background contributes to anchoring the conversation. A manifestation is made interlacing the energy of materials with history as a blueprint.