KERRY JAMES MARSHALL (AMERICAN B.1955)
They Are Liars!
2005-2006
signed, dated, titled and numbered 13/50 in pencil
screenprint on wove
sheet 63 x 77.4cm
unframed

Provenance: purchased Camden Art Centre, 2005-2006

Note: Kerry James Marshall is an American artist best known for his paintings, sculptures and prints which centre on Black figures and address issues of representation. The core of his work is the reclamation of black subjects in visual culture, countering the historical omission and marginalization of black people in the Western art tradition. His extensive oeuvre is described as a "Counter-Archive" as his works re-instate black figures into the ongoing narrative of art history.

Marshall's work addresses the over-representation and idealization of white bodies in art, and often champions the theme of Black is Beautiful. From an early age he recognised the absence of black figures across commercial advertising, popular culture and Western art history. Marshall's rich and dynamic paintings use both deep and vivid pigments, often painting his figures in dark pigments to emphasise the richness of black skin, a direct contrast the dominant norms in art and popular culture collating beauty with whiteness. Marshall's works extend beyond the representation of black figures into a new branch of American art history and visual culture.

Though best known for his large-scale acrylic paintings, where he masterfully combines realism with collage, signage, and intricate patterns, Marshall has also ventured into other mediums, including comics. His interest in comic strips arose from his experiences as a young man, where though he devoured comic strips it was hard to ignore the lack of African-American heroes in pop culture. While Black Panther, a Marvel character, is often cited as the prominent representation of African culture, Marshall observed that the narratives were constructed by white writers, failing to capture the lived experiences of Black individuals.

In response, Marshall created his own comic strips, most notably Rhythm Mastr, On The Stroll, and P-Van, to bring Black heroes and stories into the comic medium. These works reflect his broader artistic vision: to centre Black lives and narratives in popular media and culture. Rhythm Mastr, follows an African-American teenager who gains superpowers through African sculpture, blending contemporary urban life with African mythology—elements often sidelined in favour of Western mythologies in mainstream culture.

P-Van, the series of this particular print, is another significant work in Marshall's comic expression. Inspired by a group of men who gathered in front of his studio in a van, Marshall sought to give these ordinary, working-class individuals a platform to express their inner philosophical lives. In doing so, he subverts the typical portrayal of Black men as background characters in white-dominated comics, giving them complexity and agency. The comic's format, echoing the tradition of newspaper strips, allows for a more intimate, serialized exploration of their lives. P-Van, as in his larger body of work, Marshall reimagines the boundaries of visual storytelling, creating a space where Black figures are central, dynamic, and deeply human.