Russell
Craig

Russell Craig is a painter and Philadelphia native whose work masterfully combines deeply
social and political themes. A self-taught artist and Bard graduate, Russell's journey includes
surviving over a decade of incarceration after growing up in the foster care system, experiences
that profoundly shape his art.

His work has been featured in notable exhibitions, including Art in the Era of Mass Incarceration
(2014), Truth to Power at the Democratic National Convention (2015), State Goods (2017),
Blood Sweat, and Tears (2018), The OG Experience with HBO (2019), Rendering Justice at the
Philadelphia African American Museum (2020), Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass
Incarceration at MoMA PS1 (2021), and Sotheby’s (2023). His pieces are also part of the
permanent collections at the Brooklyn Museum and the Studio Museum in Harlem. Additionally,
Russell has created public installations in Philadelphia as part of the Mural Arts Program.
His work has garnered attention from prestigious outlets, including the Philadelphia Inquirer,
Artsy, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The New York Times, Artforum, Forbes, and The
New Yorker. He was featured in the Emmy Award-winning series Art & Krimes by Krimes.
Russell is the co-founder of the Right of Return fellowship, established in 2017 and funded by
Open Philanthropy. He also serves on the board of the Center for Art & Advocacy. Among his
accolades, he received the Art for Justice grant in 2018 and the 2024 Creative Capital grant. He
is a two-time resident of the Silver Art Studio located at 4 World Trade Center in New York.