Artist Statement

Keshad Adeniyi is a figurative and collage-based artist whose multidisciplinary practice interweaves visual and sonic elements to explore themes of resistance, memory, and Black liberation. Through the integration of original musical compositions alongside painting, Adeniyi creates immersive installations that challenge conventional modes of perception and engage audiences in layered, multisensory dialogue.

Rooted in a personal history shaped by systemic neglect and the generational aftermath of the crack epidemic, Adeniyi's work is both an act of service and a mode of resistance. His early experiences were marked by a household grappling with survival—circumstances that, for a time, obscured broader understandings of race, politics, and collective identity. It was not until the national response to the murder of Trayvon Martin that Adeniyi began to fully confront and explore the complex realities of Black existence within the American project.

Galvanized by this awakening, Adeniyi investigates the historical and contemporary dimensions of Black resistance, drawing upon abolitionist frameworks to critique state violence and systemic injustice. His work often centers iconic figures and pivotal movements, contributing to an ongoing discourse around the sacrifices, solidarities, and struggles that underpin Black liberation.

Through a practice that is both archival and expressive, Adeniyi reclaims visual and sonic space to articulate narratives that are at once deeply personal and profoundly collective—insisting on a future shaped by remembrance, radical care, and freedom.

Bio 

Keshad Adeniyi is a multidisciplinary artist from Watts, California, whose practice seamlessly integrates figurative painting, collage, and original audio compositions—including rap—to investigate themes of Black liberation, resistance, and healing within an abolitionist framework. His work inhabits a dynamic intersection of visual and sonic mediums, creating immersive and interdisciplinary experiences that challenge dominant narratives and provoke critical reflection.

Adeniyi’s commitment to transformative justice is deeply informed by extensive experience programming within carceral institutions, both domestically and internationally. This vital engagement culminated in the establishment of The Field, an organization he created to leverage the arts as a source of socio-political education, healing, and community building. One of the core programs of The Field is The Story From Within (TSFW), which uses storytelling as a transformative healing modality to help reawaken parts of oneself that have been silenced by state violence—specifically the violence embedded in education, incarceration, and the criminal legal system.

At the heart of TSFW is the use of creative expression as a method for pedagogical engagement. By leveraging artists, activists, and advocates, TSFW creates entry points for discussions around identity, material conditions, community, and other sociopolitical topics shaping the experiences of the students served. Through engagement with music, reading excerpts, visuals, and other forms of art, students develop skills in using various artistic mediums for self-expression, self-regulation, and healing. This interdisciplinary and immersive approach fosters spaces for critical reflection and collective care.

Adeniyi holds a Master of Arts in Social and Cultural Analysis from New York University (NYU). He currently serves as Director of Education and Curriculum Development at exalt youth in Manhattan, an organization dedicated to supporting young people impacted by the criminal legal system. Currently he is a Create Change Artist-in-Residence at The Laundromat Project, where he continues to advance the role of art as a vital space for liberation, memory, and (re)imagination.