Kevin McCants

Kevin McCants (1966 –) is an African American painter, teacher, and musician who has been actively showing and winning recognition in the Los Angeles community. McCants will be presenting over 60 works that encompass his signature reflection paintings as well as new images that signal a more personal perspective.

Using oil on panels and canvas, glazing, washes, and other techniques, McCants focuses on capturing light, reflections, and the essence of fashion that acts as a mirror of social status and personal disconnection. The complex images encapsulate aspects of urban consumerism with mannequins that stand in for more complicated lifestyle aspiration and identity. “I use the mannequins to represent the faceless appearance of human desire, need, and social detachment without the baggage of specific human personality,” explains McCants. His new work will appear on his website simultaneously with the October exhibit.

An important aspect of McCants’ practice is to intricately balance the extreme desires that fashion evokes with the reality of the urban landscape. His mannequin portraits, while communicating a surreal personality of their own, prompt the viewer’s relationship to the image, often evoking a strong reaction. Currently, his new paintings dive into a much more personal journey. His work defies labels and weaves together his art practice and identity posing a challenge to one who would seek to categorize his art.

Visit Kevin McCants website.