Born in London, England, Shantell Martin has carved her artistic path through a remarkable self-discovery and creative exploration journey.

Martin is a multi-hyphenated creative: a visual artist, philosopher, performer, cultural facilitator, and designer whose work transcends traditional boundaries, both in medium and subject matter, to explore the intersection of art, identity, and human connection.

Art has always been a conduit for change, and for Martin, the path was forged with an ink marker and the desire to draw, “a simple tool and act that has the power to expand your world and change your life.”

Martin is best known for her dreamlike Surrealism-inspired, stream-of-consciousness black-and-white drawings. Characterized by their fluid, almost hypnotic quality, Martin’s lines seem to flow and meander, revealing figures, words, and hidden narratives.

Martin’s use of a monochromatic palette is intentional, a visual metaphor for Martin’s existence.

“I have learned to embrace my multivalent perspectives and double consciousness and to see strength and exalt in my personal and cultural in-betweenness….”

Martin has achieved critical admiration for her multidisciplinary approach to making art and her unique ability to collaborate with other notable artists and creatives across fashion, music, and technology.

Over the past two decades, Martin has been the subject of institutional exhibitions, drawing crowds at the New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT; Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO; Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo, NY; Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), Brooklyn, NY; and Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY.