Kevin Brown Jr

Kevin Brown Jr. is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Wisconsin, currently completing his BFA at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD). His practice, which he defines as "Urban Antiques," occupies the intersection of expressive acrylic portraiture and industrial leathercraft. Through the marriage of these two distinct mediums, Brown seeks to reclaim a sense of permanence and "heirloom" history for the African Diaspora.
Brown’s work is deeply informed by his experience as a father and caretaker for his non-verbal autistic children. In his household, silence possesses a profound syntax; he translates this quiet language of exaggerated facial expressions and intuitive gazes into monumental portraits. These works act as a visual platform for voices that exist beyond words, ensuring that fleeting moments of connection are captured as durable, archival records.
Drawing on a professional background in luxury retail and industrial fabrication, Brown critiques the culture of "disposable history" and planned obsolescence. By hand-stitching premium leather directly into his canvases, he rejects the ephemeral nature of modern consumerism in favor of "slow mending" and material integrity. His work—ranging from intimat...

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) | Milwaukee, WI
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Fine Arts | 2023 – May 2026 (Anticipated)
• Focus: Multidisciplinary Studio Practice, Expressive Portraiture, and Industrial Fabrication.
• Key Coursework: Advanced Painting, Material Studies (Leather & Textiles), Welding and Metal Fabrication, Gallery Installation & Curatorial Studies.
• Awards/Distinctions: Senior Exit Exhibition Selection (2026), Dean’s List.
Gateway Technical College | Racine, WI
Associate of Arts (AA) in Graphic Design | 2018 – 2022
• Focus: Visual Communication, Adobe Creative Suite Mastery, and Digital Branding.
• Key Coursework: Typography, Digital Photography, Publication Design, and Project Management.
• Practical Application: Developed the foundational digital skills used to document and market the "Urban Antiques" series.

2026
• Charles Allis Art Museum | Milwaukee, WI | Group Exhibition * Featured Work: Hy’Ness and various leather sculptures.
• MIAD Senior Exit Exhibition | Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Milwaukee, WI
• Featured Work: K’Allure (Acrylic and Leather on Canvas).
• Soft Work: In The Space Between | UW Health Hospital, Madison, WI
• Featured Work: My Heart, His World (Acrylic on Canvas).
• STRANGE FRUIT: Annual Black History Month Exhibition | BLAC, Milwaukee, WI
• Featured Work: IRAN CONTRABAND That They Sponsored (Acrylic, Paper, and Cloth on Canvas).
• Urban Antiques: Modern Heirlooms | General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, WI | Proposed/Upcoming Installation
2025
• Real Tinsel & Underscore | Milwaukee, WI | Group Exhibition
• Featured Work: “Thou I Know My Heart Will Break… I’d Tell Them Put Me Back In…” Azariaha 3 (Acrylic on Canvas).