Born in New Orleans in 1992, Neka King is currently a muralist and digital illustrator working in Atlanta. She earned her BFA in Studio Arts at Georgia State University in 2016. Her work highlights portraying Black bodies.
“Know that my stance is for the humane treatment of all Black beings and for the active pursuit to dismantle any systems or institutions which seek to deny us this,” King states on her website.
On the Beltline off Wieuca Road in the Chastain area is where one can find her 2019 mural which is titled “Kin”.
“It is about how bodies, specifically Black bodies, are tied to the wealth of the south,” King said about her piece. “I was considering where this work was being placed and wanted to create a moment of reflection and quiet contemplation between the work and the viewer.”
King has been into art for as long as she can remember. In high school, she realized that she wanted to do something creative for a living.
She wouldn’t say that she has a specific style that she likes to work within, but rather is in a constant state of evolution.
“I have many ways of visually communicating, so it’s hard for me to fully say that one thing is my style,” King said. “It’s like knowing multiple languages and switching it up when you want to speak to someone in their native tongue. This gets me to the two-part message that I’m always trying to convey which is ‘I see you’ and ‘Let’s have a conversation.’”
Like her style, King’s inspiration is always changing. Some prominent artists that have influenced her include Aaron Douglas, Toyin Ojih and Thomas Bayrle.
King is also moved by the other local artists in Atlanta. She recently finished another mural at Dunwoody’s MARTA Station and participated in a Juneteenth coloring book with Remerge and Power Haus creative.
Career-wise, King’s goal is to, “make sure my career isn’t a career, but instead a lifelong journey of risk-taking, reflection and creation.”
