Nasir Young received his BFA from Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Art. Nasir is currently represented by Gross McCleaf Gallery in Philadelphia. In 2020 he was awarded The Raymond D. & Estelle Rubens Travel Scholarship to go to London. Young was awarded an illuminate arts grant in 2021 and 2022, he was the Second place winner of the Philadelphia Sketch Club 158th exhibition of small oils, a 2022 Davinci Art Alliance Resident, and 2023 Delaware Contemporary resident. Nasir’s primary source of imagery is the everyday scenes of urban inner city life. He has had multiple group shows in Philadelphia, and online exhibitions.
The landscape that draws me in is one familiarity; spaces, memories,stories can be joined and exited. The work comes from a place of my hyper awareness of my surroundings.I am a person who walks down the street looking at the brick and mortar, the markings on the wall, the trash on the ground wondering about its story.My practice starts with the world around me;guided by the happenstance moments that you would miss if you blink just once. I document the small wonders.these range from shadows dancing around objects, visual clutter that tells a story. These may sit in my sketchbooks for months or years before it is time to use them. Every page of these books evokes memories of moments capturing a story that viewers often can relate too.I have to sit with this imagery and discover why it emotionally stirred me. When I go to bring these creations to life I use observation, studying the tiniest details of information that could be easily overlooked. My landscapes,and buildings are my characters with figures as supporting props. often depicting a drama and story with no figure ever being present.
My most recent work comes hand and hand with the past two years i lived in south philadelphia. Through them you can see the glow, the specific color palette, and the personalities of the environment. You learn so much about the spaces through the visual vocabulary built upon by every corner, every window, and mark on a wall. My work has been decoding these narratives and spotlighting them to champion the mundane for all its worth.
Moving forward my practice is seeking out the threads that tie together the larger identities of the cityscape. These connectors bring together even the most surprising stories you would not connect at first glance. Once you find these ties there's only more to discover. What is the visual language of a corner store in London, versus Philly, versus Virginia, or even tokyo. These translate no matter where in the world you go but feel so different from each other.
Abbreviated Curriculum Vitae | updated February 2024
Full CV Available Upon Request
B. April 18 1995 Philadelphia
[email protected] ,
Education
2026 MFA, Candidate , University of Delaware, Newark,DE
2021 BFA, Pennsylvania Academy of The Fine Arts,Philadelphia, PA
2017 AFA, Montgomery County Community College,Bluebell, PA
Solo Exhibitions
2024 Excursions, GrossMccleaf Gallery , Philadelphia, Pa
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Montco Art Alumni Exhibition, Montco Cultural Center Galleries, Bluebell, Pa
2024 residency show , bieberham gallery,, Delaware contemporary, Wilmington,De
2024 residency show , hatch gallery, Delaware contemporary, Wilmington,De
2023 Gift, GrossMccleaf Gallery , Philadelphia, Pa
2023 Corner Stories: : Davinci Art Alliance Curated by Nasir Young, Philadelphia, Pa
2023 Esprit de l'escalier https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/product-page/preorder-summer-exhibition-catalog-2023
2023 Free For All ,Studio 1026, Philadelphia, Pa
2023 The 159th Exhibition of small oils, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia , Pa
2023 Short & Sweet III, GrossMccleaf Gallery , Philadelphia, Pa
2023 Observed, The plastic club, Philadelphia, Pa
2023 In Search Of Something More, Davinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, Pa
2023 Cumulative threads, Davinci Art Alliance Residency show, Philadelphia, Pa
2022 Collective Awareness, Davinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, Pa
2022 Printed Copy, Davinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, Pa
2022 The 158th Exhibition of small oils, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, Pa
2022 Residential Tourist, GrossMccleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, Pa
2021 2021 Fellowship Annual, GrossMccleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, Pa
2021 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Annual Student Exhibition 2021, Philadelphia, Pa
2020 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Annual Student Exhibition 2020, Philadelphia, Pa
2018 Unshakable, Tattooed moms, Philadelphia, Pa
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2024. 2024 Art Sync: Chasing My Own Satisfaction https://viewingroom.grossmccleaf.com/viewing-room/art-sync-chasing-my-own-satisfaction#tab:slideshow
2024. John Thorton PAFA Grad Nasir Young's First Solo Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRnZItAOQ7c
2024. EXCURSIONS AND OTHER JOURNEYS FOR PAFA ARTISTS Nasir Young and other PAFA graduates at Philly’s Gross McCleaf Gallery open up about the end of PAFA’s degree programs https://www.broadstreetreview.com/features/nasir-young-and-other-pafa-graduates-at-phillys-gross-mccleaf-gallery-open-up-about-the-end-of-pafas-degree-programs
2023 The Flying Fruit Bowl, feature https://theflyingfruitbowl.co.uk/2023/06/17/nasir-young/
2021 Almost Looking in Reverse (Stories from PAFA) https://www.pafa.org/news/almost-looking-reverse-nasir-young-bfa-21-071321
2019 Loner “Are You Scared of Being Alone?”
2019 Loner, “Vol1”
AWARDS/HONORS/RESIDENCIES
2024 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
2023 Delaware contemporary artist in residency, Wilmington, De
2022 Illuminate Arts Grant PHL
2022 Second place Philadelphia Sketch Club 158th exhibition of small oils
2022 Davinci Art Alliance Residency, Philadelphia, Pa
2021 Illuminate Arts Grant PHL
2021 Pafa Faculty Award, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2021 The Philadelphia Mayor's award, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Art
2021 The Catherine Grant Memorial Prize, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2021 The Louis & Estelle Pearson Memorial Prize for Landscape with Figures ,Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2020 The Raymond D. & Estelle Rubens Travel Scholarship, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2020 The Robert A. Ricker Memorial Landscape Prize, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
ARTIST TALKS/VISITING ARTIST
2023 New Muralist: A Philly Artist Talk Series https://www.muralarts.org/events/new-muralists-a-philly-artist-talk-series/
2023 I Like Your work studio visit artist 7/26/23 https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/post/artist-nasir-young
2023 The Flying Fruit Bowl Podcast, #69 https://open.spotify.com/episode/1qpWezdzzYY6e4nz8oO9r2?si=8f83d726dcda4bff
AFFILIATIONS
Alchemy Art Ensemble (2022)-Present
COLLECTIONS
The Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Numerous Private Collections
Full CV Available Upon Request
B. April 18 1995 Philadelphia
[email protected] ,
Education
2026 MFA, Candidate , University of Delaware, Newark,DE
2021 BFA, Pennsylvania Academy of The Fine Arts,Philadelphia, PA
2017 AFA, Montgomery County Community College,Bluebell, PA
Solo Exhibitions
2024 Excursions, GrossMccleaf Gallery , Philadelphia, Pa
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Montco Art Alumni Exhibition, Montco Cultural Center Galleries, Bluebell, Pa
2024 residency show , bieberham gallery,, Delaware contemporary, Wilmington,De
2024 residency show , hatch gallery, Delaware contemporary, Wilmington,De
2023 Gift, GrossMccleaf Gallery , Philadelphia, Pa
2023 Corner Stories: : Davinci Art Alliance Curated by Nasir Young, Philadelphia, Pa
2023 Esprit de l'escalier https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/product-page/preorder-summer-exhibition-catalog-2023
2023 Free For All ,Studio 1026, Philadelphia, Pa
2023 The 159th Exhibition of small oils, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia , Pa
2023 Short & Sweet III, GrossMccleaf Gallery , Philadelphia, Pa
2023 Observed, The plastic club, Philadelphia, Pa
2023 In Search Of Something More, Davinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, Pa
2023 Cumulative threads, Davinci Art Alliance Residency show, Philadelphia, Pa
2022 Collective Awareness, Davinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, Pa
2022 Printed Copy, Davinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, Pa
2022 The 158th Exhibition of small oils, Philadelphia Sketch Club, Philadelphia, Pa
2022 Residential Tourist, GrossMccleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, Pa
2021 2021 Fellowship Annual, GrossMccleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, Pa
2021 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Annual Student Exhibition 2021, Philadelphia, Pa
2020 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Annual Student Exhibition 2020, Philadelphia, Pa
2018 Unshakable, Tattooed moms, Philadelphia, Pa
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2024. 2024 Art Sync: Chasing My Own Satisfaction https://viewingroom.grossmccleaf.com/viewing-room/art-sync-chasing-my-own-satisfaction#tab:slideshow
2024. John Thorton PAFA Grad Nasir Young's First Solo Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRnZItAOQ7c
2024. EXCURSIONS AND OTHER JOURNEYS FOR PAFA ARTISTS Nasir Young and other PAFA graduates at Philly’s Gross McCleaf Gallery open up about the end of PAFA’s degree programs https://www.broadstreetreview.com/features/nasir-young-and-other-pafa-graduates-at-phillys-gross-mccleaf-gallery-open-up-about-the-end-of-pafas-degree-programs
2023 The Flying Fruit Bowl, feature https://theflyingfruitbowl.co.uk/2023/06/17/nasir-young/
2021 Almost Looking in Reverse (Stories from PAFA) https://www.pafa.org/news/almost-looking-reverse-nasir-young-bfa-21-071321
2019 Loner “Are You Scared of Being Alone?”
2019 Loner, “Vol1”
AWARDS/HONORS/RESIDENCIES
2024 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
2023 Delaware contemporary artist in residency, Wilmington, De
2022 Illuminate Arts Grant PHL
2022 Second place Philadelphia Sketch Club 158th exhibition of small oils
2022 Davinci Art Alliance Residency, Philadelphia, Pa
2021 Illuminate Arts Grant PHL
2021 Pafa Faculty Award, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2021 The Philadelphia Mayor's award, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Art
2021 The Catherine Grant Memorial Prize, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2021 The Louis & Estelle Pearson Memorial Prize for Landscape with Figures ,Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2020 The Raymond D. & Estelle Rubens Travel Scholarship, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2020 The Robert A. Ricker Memorial Landscape Prize, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
ARTIST TALKS/VISITING ARTIST
2023 New Muralist: A Philly Artist Talk Series https://www.muralarts.org/events/new-muralists-a-philly-artist-talk-series/
2023 I Like Your work studio visit artist 7/26/23 https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/post/artist-nasir-young
2023 The Flying Fruit Bowl Podcast, #69 https://open.spotify.com/episode/1qpWezdzzYY6e4nz8oO9r2?si=8f83d726dcda4bff
AFFILIATIONS
Alchemy Art Ensemble (2022)-Present
COLLECTIONS
The Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Numerous Private Collections