acrylic, paper, and foamcut on Mylar; 2026; Courtesy of the artist.
COLLAGE ON VIEW
Illest
at The Union for Contemporary Art, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
11 September-24 October 2026
“Illest” by artist Vitus Shell brings the artist’s distinct mixed media painting style to portraying the Black experience of the North Omaha community. With powerful portrayals that deconstruct, sample, and remix identity, civil rights, and contemporary Black culture, these are portraits that demand a closer look, where every little detail tells a different piece of the overall story.
acrylic, paper, and foamcut on Mylar; 2026; Courtesy of the artist.
Shell, a native of Monroe, Louisiana, where he currently lives and works, is an assistant professor of art in illustration at Louisiana Tech University. He has accumulated an impressive list of achievements, which include participating in exhibits at universities, museums, and private galleries across the country. His background also includes residencies at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska; Mass MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts; Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans, Louisiana; Skowhegan School of Art in Madison, Maine; Tougaloo Art Colony in Tougaloo, Mississippi; Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, Colorado; Hermitage Artist Retreat in Englewood, Florida; and Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, Louisiana.
(text adapted from material provided by the gallery.)
INFORMATION
The Union for Contemporary Art
2423 North 24th Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68110, USA
(402) 933-3161
Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday, 1-8PM
Friday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM