History Unfolds: An Artist’s Talk with Shea Justice

Artist and educator Shea Justice will discuss his recent work. As an artist Shea prefers to work on editorial illustrations and political imagery, drawing inspiration from pop culture, ComicCon, global travel and American history. Since 2002, Shea has been using Chinese rice paper scrolls to write, illustrate and document the War on Terror. The scroll has become both a journal and a personal essay. Shea’s latest work centers on current events and historical documents, such as the Constitution, exposing how full constitutional rights have yet to be realized in modern times by people of color. Over the course of his career, Shea’s work has continually investigated the way American society, policies, laws and customs have impacted African Americans throughout history.

A Roxbury native and Boston-area educator, Shea Justice holds a BFA in art education (Boston University) and an MFA in art (Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University). Shea is a member of Northeastern University’s Afro American Master Artist Residency Program, and his work has been exhibited throughout the Boston area.