Rico Gatson

Rico Gatson is a multimedia visual artist whose work explores themes of history, identity, popular culture and spirituality, through sculpture, painting, video, and public art projects. Over the course of almost two decades, he has been celebrated for politically layered artworks, often based on significant moments in Black history. From the Watts Riots, the formation of the Black Panthers, to the election of President Barack Obama are a few subjects touched upon in his work. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including exhibitions at The Studio Museum in Harlem, NY; The Whitney Museum of American Art, NY; The Essl Museum, Austria, Vienna and The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC.

In 2019 Gatson completed a large commission for MTA Arts and Design entitled “Beacons”; eight permanent large scale mosaics of prominent figures associated with and installed in a subway station in the Bronx. His work is featured in the permanent collections of The Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Studio Museum in Harlem, The Denver Art Museum, The Cheekwood Museum, The Kempner Museum and The Yale University Art Gallery. His work is also included in numerous private collections.