Khari Turner's upbringing in Milwaukee forged a profound connection to Black culture, water, and the surrounding environment, influencing his artistic endeavours today. He intricately weaves these elements into his work, sourcing materials directly from various bodies of water such as the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, as well as his hometown's Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee River. He says, “I paint to create a deeper connection to my identity and history as a Black American. Metaphorically, I see Black people as personifications of the magic that is the ocean. My paintings and drawings combine abstraction with realistic renderings of Black noses and lips to rejuvenate the relationship of my history to my ancestor’s history with water.”

Turner holds a BFA in Studio Art from Austin Peay State University and an MFA in Visual Arts from Columbia University. Turner has received over thirteen scholarships including the Shops Fellowship (Columbia University) and has participated in numerous group & solo shows in the US and Europe since 2017, this includes his first international solo presentation during 59th Venice Biennale and his first solo museum show Mirroring Reflection at Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend (both 2022). His second institutional show, entitled Magava, took place this year at Texas State Galleries, San Marcos.

Khari Turner will be presented by Ross-Sutton Gallery.