“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.”

www.akinlana.com

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Marcus Akinlana draws from his African American heritage and world mythologies to create his art, which he sees as a positive contribution to human society. He has also taken his passion for drumming and combined it with his artistic talent, participating with other musicians in cultural events in New Orleans and beyond.

After graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where he majored in painting and drawing, Marcus went on to create collaborative community murals with Chicago Public Art Group, and found his own public art enterprise, WON Mural Society. He has fabricated over 20 national public art monuments, including some major multimedia installations at Indianapolis, Philadelphia & Denver International Airports, the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the Aurora Municipal Center in Colorado, the Tangipahoa African American Museum. Marcus draws from his African-American heritage and world mythologies to create his art, which he sees as a positive contribution to human society. In addition, Marcus is an Olorisa Sango (priest – a practitioner of traditional West African culture) and is currently the Baale of Ile Eko Asa Yoruba in New Orleans. Marcus has also recently taken two of his passions and turned them into entrepreneurial endeavors. Drumming has been a joy of Marcus’ for over 20 years and he has developed this passion through dedication and hard work. Lately, he has been participating with other musicians in cultural events in New Orleans and beyond.