Ferrari Sheppard
American visual artist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ferrari Elite Sheppard (born March 3, 1983)[1] is an American artist. His artistic style is influenced by Willem de Kooning, Cy Twombly and Joan Mitchell, as well as Harlem Renaissance figures like Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden. [2] Sheppard is also a member of the hip-hop duo Dec 99th, alongside Yasiin Bey. The duo's album, December 99th, was released in 2016. [3] Sheppard lives and works in Los Angeles, California.[4]
March 3, 1983
Ferrari Sheppard | |
|---|---|
Sheppard in 2012 | |
| Born | Ferrari Elite Sheppard March 3, 1983 Chicago, Illinois, US |
| Alma mater | School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2006) |
| Style | Figurative art Abstract art |
Early life
Sheppard was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1983.[1] After his family returned to Chicago from New York City, Sheppard pursued his passion for the arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). [5]
Career
In 2016, Sheppard returned to painting, marking a significant change in his career. He adopted the canvas as his main medium, producing works characterized by layered textures and vivid colors to convey intricate emotional landscapes. [6] His art combines figurative and abstract elements to address themes such as cultural heritage, memory, and self-actualization. The artwork invites viewers to engage with narratives that are both introspective and broadly relatable. Sheppard is represented by Massimo De Carlo. [7][8]
In May 2025, Sheppard was featured in Vogue Magazine's Met Gala Issue as part of its Superfine Suiting portfolio, which highlighted artists and cultural figures shaping contemporary aesthetics and identity. [9]
Exhibitions
- 2024: Modality – Massimo De Carlo, Hong Kong[10]
- 2024: Jubilee – UTA Artist Space, New York City[11]
- 2023: Crucible, Massimo De Carlo, Museum of Villa Torlonia (Rome), Rome, Italy[12]
- 2023: Portal Study, Massimo De Carlo, Frieze Los Angeles, California[13]
- 2022: Tremendous, Massimo De Carlo, London[14]
- 2022: Walking Together, Massimo De Carlo Pièce Unique, Paris[15]
- 2021: Dark Bodies Bright Crest, Maruani Mercier, Brussels Belgium[16]
- 2021: Positions of Power, UTA Artist Space, Beverly Hills, California[17]
- 2020: Heroines of Innocence – Wilding Cran Gallery, Los Angeles, California[18]
Group Exhibitions
- 2024: Effetto Notte: Day for Night, New American Realism, National Gallery of Ancient Art, Rome, Italy[19]
- 2022: La Vie en Rose, Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Chicago, Illinois[20]
- 2022: Interscope Reimagined, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California[21]
- 2021: Where to begin..., Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Paris, France
- 2020: MoAD Benefit Auction, San Francisco, California[22]
- 2020: Black Voices Black Microcosm – CF Hill Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden[23]
- 2020: LACMA Group Exhibition – Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California
Selected Collections
Discography
As Dec 99th with Yasiin Bey
- December 99th (2016)