RETNA
Biography
RETNA (Marquis Lewis, b. 1979, Los Angeles) emerged from the Los Angeles graffiti scene of the 1990s and quickly became known for his role in The Seventh Letter collective, one of the most innovative street art groups of its generation. By the age of fifteen, he was already painting over fashion advertisements across the city, developing the visual lexicon that would later become his signature.
His practice, informed by African American, Salvadorian, and Cherokee heritage, channels diverse subcultures into a highly distinctive script that merges the ancient and the contemporary. RETNA’s work spans murals, paintings, and installations, and has been exhibited internationally at institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (Art in the Streets, 2011), the Pasadena Museum of California Art, and in projects from Miami to Hong Kong, Copenhagen, Beirut, and Dubai.
His practice has also extended into major collaborations with Louis Vuitton, Chanel, VistaJet, and Nike, situating his language within both global cultural and commercial contexts. His murals have become landmarks across the world, from the Houston–Bowery Wall in New York to the façade of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, marking him as one of the most influential artists to bridge street culture and contemporary art in the 21st century.
Exhibitions
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