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I’ve Seen the Viper in You

Kenda Francis - CRUSH

March 7 - June 2, 2025

NORTH GALLERY

Kenda Francis

The immense pressures faced by wildlife and our natural world are evident from every perspective. My artistic work serves as a spotlight on the often-overlooked yet vital undomesticated creatures that transcend the physical and political boundaries of our planet. Each of my paintings delves beyond mere celebration of these subjects, aiming to shed light on the challenges our wildlife confronts in these overwhelming circumstances. In my work I stand up for all animals, sharing their stories and their struggles, while celebrating their strengths, their resilience, their uniqueness and their incredible importance.

In my large-scale mixed media acrylic paintings on canvas, I’ve developed a distinctive style that incorporates elements of graffiti, such as hand-cut stencils, drips, sprays, words and layered textures. The language of graffiti adds a feeling of degradation to the environment and a message that the world surrounding our precious wildlife is tarnished, worn and unhealthy. The graffiti style “tags” and marks imply that the human hand has touched every natural habitat and left it for the animals to live within.

SPONSORS:

In-Kind Sponsors - Printonyx, Harbor Rental, Browne's Home Center, and Ogle Painting.

Watch An Artist Talk with Kenda Francis and learn how Kenda creates powerful, street-art-inspired works that highlight both the beauty and struggles of animals threatened by human actions.  Click HERE to watch.

Discover More on SJIMA YouTube

Explore an extensive collection of artist talks, exhibition highlights, and educational content by visiting SJIMA’s official YouTube channel.

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