Mensah Bey is a native of Richmond, VA residing in San Diego, CA. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Hampton University and his Master of Fine Arts in Visual Studies from Norfolk State University. Bey has exhibited nationally with highlights in Los Angeles, California and New York. Bey has produced murals throughout Hampton Roads, VA and more recently in San Diego, CA. He has also participated in Artist Residencies including RoosterGNN’s residency in Havana, Cuba, Bread and Salt IMPACT Artist Residency, and My Creative Journey Residency with San Diego Made Factory. As an educator, Bey emphasizes process oriented thinking and art making to better develop a formula for successful creation.
Statement
As a painter and printmaker, my works explore the depths of the digital domain, weaving a narrative that transcends the boundaries of physical and virtual realities. Inspired by the expanse of social media, I critique the personas we craft in this virtual space, contemplating our creation of avatars that reflect fragments of our true selves.
Central to my artistic narrative are “Ajents” - ethereal figures that embody the quintessence of transparency, vulnerability, and confidence. These Ajents emerge as symbolic manifestations, rooted in the intersection of physical and virtual realities. With elongated necks reminiscent of African ideals of beauty and strength, the Ajents symbolize a harmonious fusion of the spiritual and the physical. The neck, serving as a conduit between the realms of the mind and the body, signifies a delicate equilibrium, where confidence intertwines with vulnerability.
Drawing from influences of Afro-surrealism and Afro-Fruturism, I navigate these new worlds where my subjects are woven throughout my compositions in search of a destination. These subjects become vessels for personified spirits, emanating from an evolutionary subconscious, enabling tethered minds to traverse freely while remaining grounded in the realm of the tangible.