1275 Minnesota St /
Jenkins Johnson Gallery
Jenkins Johnson Gallery is pleased to present Same Song Different Beat Circles with Ladders, Kevin Cole's first solo exhibition with the gallery.
Kevin Cole's artwork delves into the intricate relationship between signs, sounds, and colors. While he draws inspiration from the realms of jazz, rap, hip hop, gospel, and blues, his work is deeply rooted in the profound experiences of triumph and tragedy. Cole's curvilinear twists, knots, and loops are fueled by the resilience of those who face life's unheralded tragedies.
Kevin Cole received his B.S. from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, M.A. in Art Education from University of Illinois at Urbana and a M.F.A. from Northern Illinois University where he was a Rhoden Smith Scholar. Within the last 32 years, he has received 27 grants and fellowships, 66 awards in art and 51 teaching awards.
On February 1, 2022, he received a Proclamation from the City of South Fulton proclaiming February 1, 2022, Kevin Cole Day. In December 2020, Cole received the 2020 Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities in the State of Georgia and the 2019 Nexus Award from the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center in Atlanta. In April 2020, Cole received the Art Aspiration Award by the National Society Incorporation for his dedication to students’ achievements and the 2020 Trail Blazer Award from Salem Bible Church, in Atlanta, GA. In July 2021, he received the Working Artist Fellowship from Museum of Contemporary Art in Georgia.
His artwork has been featured in more than 490 exhibitions and 4,000 public, private and corporate collections throughout the United States and abroad.