People

Pennsylvania-based artist Frankmarlin, a child of first-generation Caribbean immigrant parents, graduated with a BFA in Studio Arts from Kutztown University in 2020. Throughout his childhood, he made messes, spoke when spoken to, and danced to bring his family joy in moments of sorrow.

In his practice, Frankmarlin takes a look into the invisible, sees beyond what is presented, and asks questions he doesn’t know the answers to. With a sense of urgency, his works explore themes of erasure, lineage, surveillance, healing, and the beauty of the mundane black experiences. Not allowing himself to be subjected to categorization, his approach is rooted in an interdisciplinary method, assembling colloquial objects and abstracting their meanings with history. He honors his teachings by re-performing moments captured in his family photo album and using their assertions of self to create sculptural ballads to all his antecedents. Frankmarlin’s work appropriates the appropriator, gives respect where it’s due, and is shamelessly blunt.