2.5 MIN READ
While walking through the halls of Art Basel, I was stopped dead in my tracks by Gerald Lovell’s painting Untitled (Christian's Birthday).
It depicts the artist himself with his four friends squeezed together on a couch, leaning into each other, laughing, throwing up peace signs and inside jokes. You can almost hear the soundtrack of the moment, probably someone’s playlist in the background. It’s the kind of closeness you can’t fake and an energy that’s unmistakable. At least to me.
Untitled (Christian's Birthday), 2023
oil on panel, 72 x 60 ins. | 182.9 x 152.4 cm
I didn’t just see it. I felt it. I could see myself sitting on that couch being part of that moment.
It took me back to my roots. Back to my brothers and friends. Back to growing up in Black urban spaces in New York. Where joy, camaraderie and that “if you know, you know” energy was always there. The vividness of the scene, the way it captured so much life, had me standing there, taking it all in for what felt like forever.
Lovell says he’s inspired by people affirming who they are in their everyday lives. And that’s exactly what this felt like. He pulls from photographs of his friends, family and community to capture what’s often missing in the traditional art world: unfiltered Black life. Artists like him are helping shift that absence.
A UNIQUE BLEND OF INFLUENCE AND CULTURE
Lovell’s work bridges classical painting techniques with contemporary Black culture. He draws from the styles of Van Gogh, Cézanne, and Austrian painters yet his subject matter centers on us, on Black people, our stories, and our spaces. It feels like a celebration, unapologetic and proud.
“My work is really centered in creating honest depictions of the people I’m around… I feel like I’m affirming them and their existence. I feel like I’m capturing moments of self-satisfaction.”
It brings to mind Kendrick Lamar’s words: They not like us. Lovell paints for us, about us. His work feels like a calm rebellion, making space in a world that often erases or overlooks Black narratives.
Gunna's hands, 2022
Oil on wood, 20 × 16 in | 50.8 × 40.6 cm
Waiting I, 2023
Oil on panel, 24 × 24 in | 61 × 61 cm
You see this beautifully in pieces like Gunna’s Hands, where he reimagines, the album cover of Atlanta rapper Gunna, or Waiting I, which features the iconic Telfar bag, lovingly called the “Bushwick Birkin.” These works connect cultural icons and are intentional choices that elevate our everyday.
THE CRAFT OF GERALD LOVELL
Lovell’s oil technique is stunning. His textured brushwork draws you in. Up close, you see every layer. Every expression. Every detail chosen with care.
Despite being self-taught, his work feels refined and instinctual. At a fair full of art competing for attention, Lovell’s piece stood out. It was beautiful, deep with a sense of purpose.
The artist in his studio courtesy of @geraldlovell
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Gerald Lovell was born in Chicago in 1992 and raised in Atlanta by Puerto Rican and African American parents. He began painting in grade school but started his professional journey in 2014. Now based in Brooklyn, New York, Lovell’s work has been shown in galleries and fairs worldwide, including New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, and Basel.
His paintings come from a place of love, reflection, and memory. They offer a glimpse into Black life that feels intimate, conveying real moments that speak even when no words are said.
His subjects are living and reminds us of the beauty in that. Of the stories worth telling. And of the power in seeing ourselves, fully, on canvas.
It’s powerful and exactly what the culture needs.
WHERE TO FIND THE ARTIST
Follow on Instagram: (@geraldlovell)
Tell us what you think of Gerald Lovell’s work. Or tell us about an artist you love.
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