Marlon Mullen: Reframing the Canvas of Art History

Art has always been about perspective—how we see, interpret, and respond to the world around us. For Marlon Mullen, perspective isn’t just a lens; it’s his language. Last winter, New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) showcased Mullen’s first solo exhibition at a major museum, placing his singular vision in the spotlight it has long deserved.

Born in 1963 in Richmond, California, Mullen has spent decades refining his craft at NIAD (Nurturing Independence through Artistic Development), a community art center that supports artists with developmental disabilities. It was here, surrounded by donations of art magazines and books, that Mullen began transforming the glossy pages of Artforum, Frieze, and Time-Life publications into bold, textured abstractions. Amanda Eicher, NIAD’s executive director, aptly describes Mullen as being “committed to the work of painting, thinking about what it is and what it can be, and to an exploration of abstraction that’s deep and resonant.”

Mullen’s paintings are more than reproductions of magazine covers; they are reinventions. Using thick applications of paint, vibrant colors, and graphic shapes, he transforms the original imagery into something deeply personal and unmistakably his own. His 2018 untitled work inspired by Art in America, for instance, replaces rigidly structured grids of photographs with fluid, interconnected lines, dismantling the visual logic of the source material. As Ann Temkin, MoMA’s chief curator of painting and sculpture, notes, “He’s really identifying his work as an artist with the art world as it’s presented through these publications, so it’s an intense relationship that he’s creating.”

One of the standout pieces in the exhibition is a new work based on the cover of MoMA’s own publication, Van Gogh: The Starry Night. Mullen’s interpretation diverges from the iconic swirls and stars, instead emphasizing bold brushstrokes and flat planes of color that feel both familiar and refreshingly new. These choices reflect Mullen’s intuitive approach to art-making, where he reacts to the forms and textures emerging on his canvas in real-time.

Mullen’s journey is part of a larger tradition of self-taught artists who reimagine the boundaries of art history. From Marcel Duchamp’s irreverent take on Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa to Cindy Sherman’s cinematic restagings of classical paintings, Mullen’s work finds itself in dialogue with a rich lineage of appropriation and reinterpretation. But where others might seek to critique or parody, Mullen’s work feels inherently celebratory, inviting viewers to see the world through his eyes.

This exhibition (which will last until April 2025) is a landmark moment not only for Mullen but also for MoMA, which has a long history of spotlighting self-taught and outsider artists. As Temkin points out, “MoMA, starting with [founding director] Alfred Barr and Holger Cahill, has seen this strand of creativity as a vital part of modern art history.” By showcasing Mullen’s work, the museum underscores the importance of inclusivity in the art world, challenging traditional notions of who gets to be called an artist.

However, the exhibition also highlights an ongoing gap in how institutions engage with artists with disabilities. While Mullen’s work speaks volumes on its own, there’s room for a deeper conversation about how disability shapes creativity and how museums can better support these narratives. Inviting external curators and scholars specializing in critical disability theory could provide richer, more nuanced interpretations of artists like Mullen.

At its core, Mullen’s art is about transformation—of materials, of perspectives, and of the art world itself. His paintings remind us that art doesn’t just reflect the world; it reshapes it. As viewers, we are invited to step closer, to look beyond the surface, and to embrace the beauty of seeing things differently. And isn’t that what art is all about?