Justin Usher received his BFA in Painting/Photography from Cooper Union, New York. He felt a compelling urge to reassess ideas within black escapisms through exploring photographic and multimedia practices that engage with the conceptual notions referencing his afro Latinx experience.
In early 2019, Justin Usher was awarded the Alphonse Normandia award for his striking large-scale abstract paintings-and-printmaking pieces that challenged traditional notions of identity, culture, history, spirituality, and memory. Working with historical figures such as Jackie Robinson a central visual motif, Usher delved into how race and culture influence the interactions, relationships, and experiences within modern American society.
Transitioning to 2024, he ventured into creating staged photographic prints, depicting scenes he deems significant to his personal context. Subsequently, Usher explores multimedia works, depicting abstract scenes that touch upon the mysteries of identity and culture. Throughout his artistic journey, Usher evokes themes of memory and representation, utilizing juxtapositions of material and image derived from his archive of images, both found and staged.
Justin Usher's works have been showcased at prestigious galleries and private collections such as Lavan Chelsea, New York; A.I.G. private collection, New York; Chase bank Headquarters, New York. Currently he works in his New York studio producing multimedia artworks.