Lavar Munroe

Nights, 2018

Unique Artwork

Acrylic, fabric, Little Tree air freshener, rubber tire tube and spray paint on cut canvas

CM H 193 W 193

IN H 75.98 W 75.98

Certificate of authenticity

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About the work

Nights, 2018

The artist maps a personal journey of survival and trauma in a world of gang, violence, drugs, murder, self-discovery, development and overcoming obstacles through self-determination. Though inspired by the past, Munroe’s loud, energetic and unapologetic visual language confronts contemporary society and the strained and difficult relationships between authority and people of the ghetto.
As well as tapping his own experiences, much of Munroe’s practice comprises research that is informed by critical investigation and theories surrounding mythology and literature. Referencing Joseph Cambell’s ‘The Hero’s Journey’, Elaine Brown’s book ‘The Condemnation of Little B’ and Stanley “Tookie” Williams’ memoir, ‘Blue Rage, Black Redemption’, Munroe explores a number of social stereotypes in order to critique and challenge disparities that cut across gender, race, class, and age.

About artist

Lavar Munroe

"Though framed in fictional narratives, my work explores and in many ways critiques real life situations that I have either personally experienced or encountered through research. Oftentimes I am reminded of the underlying darkness that reoccurred in childhood fables – in a sense, drawing a parallel to the menacing motifs that occur in my work". Lavar Munoe.

Munroe works between Germantown MD and Nassau Bahamas.

Munroe was born and grew up in the impoverished, stigmatized and often marginalized Grants Town community in Nassau, Bahamas. In 2004, he moved to the United States at the age of 21. His work functions as a reflection of the environment where he grew up, drawing from memory the crude graffiti on the walls that surrounded his street. The artist maps a personal journey of survival and trauma in a world of gang violence, drugs, murder, self-discovery, development and overcoming obstacles through self-determination.

Though inspired by the past, Munroe’s loud, energetic and unapologetic visual language confronts contemporary society and the strained and difficult relationships between authority and people of the ghetto.

As well as tapping his own experiences, much of Munroe’s practice comprises research that is informed by critical investigation and theories surrounding mythology and literature. Referencing Joseph Cambell’s ‘The Hero’s Journey’, Elaine Brown’s book ‘The Condemnation of Little B’ and Stanley “Tookie” Williams’ memoir, ‘Blue Rage, Black Redemption’, Munroe explores a number of social stereotypes in order to critique and c...

About Gallery

Jack Bell Gallery

Jack Bell Gallery opened in London in 2010. The focus of the gallery is to exhibit, represent and champion contemporary artists from around the world. The programme includes twelve exhibitions every year as well as art fairs in London and New York.

Gallery artists have been included in important exhibitions at the Venice Biennale, Brooklyn Museum, New York; Grand Palais, Paris; Guggenheim Bilbao; Camden Arts Centre, London; Salon 94, New York; Tel Aviv Museum of Art and Saatchi Gallery, London among others.

Acquisitions have been made by the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Brooklyn Museum, National Gallery of Canada, Victoria & Albert Museum London, Carnegie Museum of Art Pittsburgh and Manchester Art Gallery UK.

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