Biography
RETNA whose real name is Marquis Lewis is an artist born in 1979 in Los Angeles. He started his career by the end of the 90s by practicing graffiti in the walls of his hometown.
Calligraphy elements of the Hebrew, Arabic, Egyptian and Asian alphabets, nourrish his work. American graffiti of the 70s also plays a main role in his work. He draws his inspiration from artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Barbara Kruger, Gustav Klimnt, Chaz Bojorquez.
Famous for his typography and his singular forms of letters, he mixes texts, photography, abstract painting and lines to create rich and complex compositions. His pieces combine elements of graffiti and fine arts. He uses all sorts of colors shades and his work is extremely meticulous. The final composition resembles striking and fascinating hieroglyphs.
He exhibits his work in prestigious galleries and museums of the world of art, in Los Angeles, Milan, Montréal, Malaga.
Nationality
Categories
Artistic movements
Themes
Discover the movements linked to Retna
Robert Combas
Sara Chelou
Raphaël Federici (ParisSketchCulture)
Keith Haring
Helder Batista
Jana & JS
Lilly
Kenny Scharf