A Special Night with Shantell Martin and Gallery Gurls at Fotografiska New York

Gallery Gurls Founder, Jasmin Hernandez and Shantell Martin. Photo by Leandro Justen.

Black British artist Shantell Martin (she/her) is such an artistic force, a visionary, and has found the most powerful ways to connect with audiences with her universal black and white graphic drawings. Martin’s work is currently installed at Fotografiska New York, in their main elevator, in a work called ‘Elevator of Perspectives’, which really serves as a meditative space for guests as they embark to enjoy the museum’s various contemporary photography exhibits. In mid-July, and for the first time in years, Martin held an in-person musical performance at the museum. In an interactive collaboration between artist and the audience, people called out words like ‘art’ and ‘family’, as Martin fluidly improvised them into a spoken word freestyle set to original music she composed. It was a real mind-enhancing experience. I later joined the stage for an intimate fireside chat with Martin, diving into her robust career, from her early days in Tokyo’s nightlife scene as a VJ in the early 2000s, to being the first artist (Black artist and Black woman artist) to have NFTs acquired by LACMA for their digital art collection. The immaculate vibes continued as Martin also signed copies of her debut monograph ‘LINES’.

Martin performing onstage. Photo by Leandro Justen.

Martin performing onstage. Photo by Leandro Justen.

Martin performing onstage. Photo by Leandro Justen.

Hernandez and Martin during the fireside chat. Photo by Leandro Justen.

Martin signing her monograph ‘LINES’ for guests. Photo by Leandro Justen.

Martin signing her monograph ‘LINES’ for a guest. Photo by Leandro Justen.