RETNA
available work
Marquis Lewis AKA RETNA (Los Angeles,1979) es un artista contemporáneo, reconocido internacionalmente por su graffiti art. Con raíces Afroamericanas, Salvadoreñas y Cherokee, Marquis creció en Los Ángeles influenciado por el mundo de las pandillas y su graffiti. Comenzó su carrera a principios de los 90 desarrollando un estilo en calles derivado de la caligrafía, los jeroglíficos egipcios, la escritura árabe, la hebrea y el graffiti old school.
Desde una edad temprana RETNA se dio a conocer en la cultura mural de L.A. liderando uno de los colectivos de arte y graffiti más importantes, MSK. Su estilo se destaca por su técnica ornamental usando pinceles en conjunto con aerosoles creando obras con una gran precisión e impacto visual.
A primera vista la obra de RETNA parece un texto antiguo recién descubierto, una serie de símbolos hipnóticos, complejos, hermosos y cautivantes. Otra de sus facetas reconocidas es apropiarse de la publicidad de moda a través de ornamentar las imágenes. Sus múltiples capas de texto creando obras que se convirtien en clásicos instantáneos. Cada pieza guarda un significado, un mensaje encriptado de un diálogo o suceso que el artista experimentó.
RETNA ha creado un alfabeto original que integra lingüística visual, poética urbana y apropiación de la imagen para explorar todo tipo de medios, incluyendo graffiti, fotografía, escultura y pintura.
RETNA es hoy en día uno de los artistas contemporáneos más prolíficos y reconocidos del mundo siendo identificado por su estilo icónico que ha logrado cruzar las barreras entre el fine art y las calles, llegando a públicos que van desde los jóvenes amantes del street art, hasta los coleccionistas y curadores más importantes del mundo, celebridades de Hollywood, de la industria de la moda y la música. Ganando la atención de coleccionistas como Jeffrey Deitch (Director de MOCA hasta 2013), Damien Hirst , Eugenio López, Emilio Azcárraga Jean Usher, Justin Bieber, Swizz Beatz, Kim Kardashian entre otros.
Su obra ha sido exhibida en galerías en Los Angeles, Miami, Londres, Nueva York, México, Hong Kong (Michael Kohn en Los Ángeles, Don Gallery en Milán, Yves Laroche Galerie d’Art en Montreal, Art for All en Málaga, entre otras). Además ha participado en numerosas exposiciones internacionales en museos como MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles), Dallas Contemporary Museum of Art, Pasadena Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Ángeles County Museum, Wende Museum, MACO Oaxaca, MARTE, El Salvador. Ha realizado colaboraciones de diseño con marcas como Louis Vuitton, Nike, Justin Bieber, Ferrari, VistaJet entre otros y murales para proyectos como the West Hollywood Library Mural (2011), the Houston/Bowery wall in New York City (2012), the Louis Vuitton store en Miami, FL (2012), "Keith Haring/RETNA" exposición pop-up durante Art Basel Hong Kong (2013), mural para MOCA's "Urs Fischer" exposición y colección permanente (2013).
Marquis Lewis AKA RETNA (Los Angeles, 1979) is a contemporary artist, internationally recognized for his graffiti art. With African-American, Salvadoran and Cherokee roots, Marquis grew up in Los Angeles influenced by the world of gangs and their graffiti. He began his career in the early 90s by developing a street style derived from calligraphy, Egyptian hieroglyphs, Arabic writing, Hebrew and old school graffiti.
From an early age, RETNA became known in the mural culture of L.A. leading one of the most important art and graffiti collectives, MSK. His style stands out for his ornamental technique using brushes in conjunction with aerosols creating works with great precision and visual impact.
At first glance, RETNA's work looks like a newly discovered ancient text, a series of hypnotic, complex, beautiful and captivating symbols. Another of its recognized facets is to appropriate fashion advertising through ornate images. Its multiple layers of text creating works that become instant classics. Each piece keeps a meaning, an encrypted message of dialogue or event that the artist experienced.
RETNA has created an original alphabet that integrates visual linguistics, urban poetics, and image appropriation to explore all kinds of media, including graffiti, photography, sculpture, and painting.
RETNA is today one of the most prolific and recognized contemporary artists in the world being identified by its iconic style that has managed to cross the barriers between fine art and the streets, reaching audiences ranging from young street art lovers, to the most important collectors and curators in the world, Hollywood celebrities, the fashion and music industry. Gaining the attention of collectors such as Jeffrey Deitch (MOCA Director until 2013), Damien Hirst, Eugenio López, Emilio Azcárraga Jean, Usher, Justin Bieber, Swizz Beatz, Kim Kardashian, among others.
His work has been exhibited in galleries in Los Angeles, Miami, London, New York, Mexico, Hong Kong (Michael Kohn in Los Angeles, Don Gallery in Milan, Yves Laroche Galerie d'Art in Montreal, Art for All in Malaga, between others). He has also participated in numerous international exhibitions in museums such as MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles), Dallas Contemporary Museum of Art, Pasadena Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles County Museum, Wende Museum, MACO Oaxaca, MARTE, El Salvador. He has made design collaborations with brands such as Louis Vuitton, Nike, Justin Bieber, Ferrari, VistaJet among others and murals for projects such as the West Hollywood Library Mural (2011), the Houston / Bowery wall in New York City (2012), the Louis Vuitton store in Miami, FL (2012), "Keith Haring / RETNA" pop-up exhibition during Art Basel Hong Kong (2013), mural for MOCA's "Urs Fischer" exhibition and permanent collection (2013).
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2018
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The Long Count solo show, MACO Museo Arte Contemporáneo Oaxaca
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Maddox Gallery, London, Summer Contemporary - Shepherd Market
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London, Summer Contemporary - Mayfair
2017
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New Image Art, West Hollywood, Retna: Mano A Mano
2016
2015
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Guy Hepner, New York, Important Works on Canvas: featuring Andy Warhol, George Condo, D Face, and others.
2015
2014
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Exhibition, MARTE Museum, El Salvador
2013
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Michael Kohn Gallery, Art Basel
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Miami Beach Mural
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Petty Cash Restaurant, Los Angeles CA
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Keith Haring/RETNA, Presented by Andy Valmorbia, exhibition during Art Basel Hong Kong 2013 Mural, in conjunction with the Urs Fischer exhibition at MOCA, Los Angeles, CA
2012
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New Paintings and Works on Paper, Michael Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles, CA A Conversation With A Great Friend, Houston/Bowery Wall, New York, NY The Boneyard Project: Return Trip, Pima Art, and Space Museum, Tucson, AZ
2011
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Art in The Streets, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA Brimstone, Wynwood District, Miami FL (mural)
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The Hallelujah World Tour, Presented by Andy Valmorbida & Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld, NewYork, and London
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Ward of the State: Tony Ward Artists Muse, Curated by Robert Standish, Stephen Cohen Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
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Nose Job, Curated by Carlo McCormick, Eric Firestone Gallery, East Hampton, NY
2010
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Freedom, Known Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
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DESATURATED, New Image Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
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RETNA, Rivera & Rivera, Los Angeles, CA
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The Lost Ones, Curated by Marsea Golberg, FIFTY24MX, Mexico
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VOX HUMANA, L.A. Art Machine, L.A. Art Show, Los Angeles
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Of Our Youth, with El Mac, Culver City, CA (mural)
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Skid Row Mural, with El Mac and Estevan Oriol, Los Angeles Skid Row, Los Angeles, CA (mural) 2010 Hollywood & Wilton, with El Mac, Los Angeles, CA (mural)
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L.A.: 814 North La Cienega | Los Angeles, CA 90069 Chicago: 43 East Oak Street | Suite B | Chicago, IL 60611 kmfinearts.com
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JUSTICE, for Manifest Equality, with El Mac and Kofie, Los Angeles, CA (mural) Art For All, Malaga, Spain (mural/exhibit)
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Ave Maria, with El Mac, Salt Lake City, UT (mural)
2009
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Primary Flight III, Miami FL, Margulies Warehouse (mural)
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Vagos Y Reinas, with El Mac, Robert Berman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 2009 Follow the Line, The Don Gallery Milan Italy
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RCVA Headquaters, with El Mac, Costa Mesa, CA (mural) Memento Mori, with El Mac, Los Angeles, CA (mural) The Knight, with El Mac, Los Angeles, CA (mural)
2008
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Primary Flight II, Miami FL (mural)
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Writing all Ribalta, Milan, Italy (mural)
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Low & Slow, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Mesa, AZ
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Angeles Will Rise, Robert Berman Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2007
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Letters First ‘07, Bread & Butter, Barcelona, Spain Primary Flight I, Art Basel-Miami, FL (mural)
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From La With Love, Interior Installation, A+D Museum, Los Angeles, CA 2007 Dialect of the Scribes, UpperPlayGround, San Francisco, CA
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All writes Reserved, PowerHouse Arena, Brooklyn, NY
2006
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Day of the Dead, Mendenhall Sobieski Gallery, Pasadena, CA 2006 Iron Eye, Scion Installation, Culver City, CA
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Casa De Tinta Negra, 222gallery, Los Angeles, CA
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Wall Street Journals, White Walls Gallery, San Francisco, CA
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Sexta Feria del Libro en el Zócalo, Mexico City, Mexico (mural)
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Superiority Complex, Scion Installation, Gallery Culver City, CA 2005 Emerging From Aztlan, The dA Center for the Arts, Pomona, CA
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Read the writing on our walls, Greystone, Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles, CA Identity and Inspiration, Millard Sheets Gallery, Pamona, CA
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Promise Land, Nike Exhibit, Union Station, Los Angeles, CA Urban Edge Show, Milan, Italy
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L.A.: 814 North La Cienega | Los Angeles, CA 90069 Chicago: 43 East Oak Street | Suite B | Chicago, IL 60611 kmfinearts.com
2004
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Application, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts. Australia 2004 Incognito, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA 2003 Still Alive, Subject Matter Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA
2003
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INRI, Subject Matter Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA
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The Seventh Letter, E.S.P. Tokyo, Japan
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Street Dream, Ghetto Gloss Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2002
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Abstract Reality, I.C.U Art. Los Angeles, CA
2001
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El Vago De La Calle, Zero One Gallery. Los Angeles, CA
2000
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Graffiti Art: The Auction, Guernseys, New York, NY
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Contemporary Corruption II Zero One Gallery. Los Angeles, CA 2000 Sarcastic, Tokyo, Japan. installation.
1999
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East Meets West, Martinez Gallery. New York
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Contemporary Corruption, Zero One Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1997
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DADA, Los Angeles - Installation.