Artist Mark Priest’s work centers on the intersection of narrative painting, historical inquiry, and figurative representation.
Over the past two decades, Priest has conducted extensive research into the Underground Railroad, slavery, and the lives of Black American freedom seekers, including Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Charles Nalle, and William Still.
His vivid paintings, drawings, and multimedia installations, which reconstruct pivotal moments in the pursuit of liberty and the struggle against oppression.
Priest’s emphasis on rigorous historical accuracy and emotional resonance sets his work apart. Each series is developed through archival investigation, site visits, and personal engagement with historians and communities connected to his subjects.
Early sketches, process drawings, and digital components are integrated into exhibitions to enrich viewers’ understanding not only of historical events, but also of the artistic process itself.
A recurrent theme in Priest’s work is the depiction of the turbulent paths to freedom traversed by Underground Railroad conductors and fugitives. Through a synthesis of intense color, dynamic composition, and expressive gesture, Priest’s paintings evoke the physical and psychological demands faced by his subjects.
Readers of this history will recognize his work on the cover of Freeing Charles: The Struggle to Free a Slave on the Eve of the Civil War (University of Illinois Press, 2010), by the late Scott Christianson.
His multi-dimensional projects, such as those exhibited at the Carnegie Center for Art & History in Indiana present layered narratives through visual and written media, seeking to “capture every level of interest” and communicate the full scope of African American resilience and agency.
Priest’s work extends into educational contexts, lecture series, and collaborations with historical institutions.
Images from his Harriet Tubman series are permanently installed at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center in Maryland, and his work have been featured in scholarly publications and history programs.
By combining historical fidelity with artistic innovation, Mark Priest, Professor of Fine Art and Senior Painting Professor in the University of Louisville’s Fine Arts Department, contributes to the visual culture of historical memory, and his practice continues to inspire reflection on themes of freedom, justice, and identity.
You can see Mark Priest’s work at his webpage markapriest.org.
Read more about the Underground Railroad in New York State.
Illustrations, from above, courtesy the artist: “Bakery Abduction,” 2008; and “West Troy,” 2011, both by Mark Priest from his Charles Nalle Series.
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