Recent works by John Lytle Wilson

at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts

The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present “Recent Works by John Lytle Wilson” beginning Nov. 3, 2023, and continuing through Dec. 29, 2023.  Birmingham, Alabama-based artist, John Lytle Wilson, is known for his colorful paintings of animals and robots.  You may have seen Wilson’s murals on a number of noteworthy buildings such as the Birmingham Museum of Art and UAB’s Specialty Care Clinic.  Wilson’s vibrant, energetic works depict narrative scenes of his signature mischievous monkeys or laser-pointing robots.   

Born in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Wilson received a BFA from Birmingham-Southern College and an MFA from Florida State University, after which he served as Artist in Residence at 621 Gallery.  He has since built a national and international exhibition record and has been featured in publications such as New American Paintings and Oxford American, which included him in 100 Under 100:  The New Superstars of Southern Art.  Of his work, Wilson says, “My paintings stem from my interest in the power of images.  From advertising and product design to museum pieces and iconography, we have long used imagery to attract, convert, and sell.  I see these modern and ancient examples as segments of a larger continuum of images.  I choose animal and robot imagery as stand-ins for traditional human subject matter.  These also allow me to explore issues such as consciousness, free will and mortality.”  Wilson is currently featured in several Birmingham art galleries, including the Grand Bohemian Hotel Gallery.  More information about Wilson and his paintings can be found on his website at www.johnlytlewilson.com