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“My primary concern,” states Marcus, “is to create pieces that have good strong structure. I begin by building basic rhythms throughout my composition and then improvise on those rhythmic patterns, changing them as I go along. Spontaneity is a must. I approach an empty surface in the same way a jazz musician approaches a saxophone. My paintings are my solos which I try to make as funky as possible.”

Marcus Akinlana knew by the early age of six that he was going to be an artist. During his teenage years, his love of childhood comics matured into full-scale murals. In 1988, he graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago were he majored in painting and drawing. Marcus went on to create collaborative community murals with Chicago Public Art Group, helping to restore and beautify Chicago’s urban landscape. Akinlana has fabricated over 18 national public art monuments. Some major multimedia installations he has completed recently can be found at Indianapolis, Philadelphia & Denver International Airports, the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the Aurora Municipal Center in Colorado, the Tangipahoa African American Museum.

Marcus’ paintings/assemblages have been commissioned for festival posters, children’s books, t-shirts and can be found in numerous national and international private collections. He draws from his African American heritage and world mythologies to create his art, which he sees as a positive contribution to human society.