Born in 1983 in Louisville, KY, Gee Horton is a Cincinnati-based, self-taught artist celebrated for his photorealistic drawings that delve into the complexities of human experience. In 2020, he made the transformative decision to leave his corporate career to fully embrace his artistic calling.
As the recipient of ArtsWave’s 2020 Truth and Reconciliation grant, Horton launched The Baobab Project, creating a reflective space for Black men to explore vulnerability and coming-of-age experiences. His art has garnered national acclaim, featured on HBO’s Insecure and Amazon Prime’s Harlem, and he received an Emmy for his residency at The Mercantile Library of Cincinnati, where he created a monumental portrait of Black abolitionist Peter H. Clark.
Horton’s debut exhibition at the Alice F. and Harris K. Weston Art Gallery in 2021 showcased hyper-realistic charcoal and graphite portraits that explore African American adolescence. Through contemporary culture and hip-hop music, he dignifies the Black experience while addressing youth vulnerabilities. His subjects, his teenage nephew and niece, reflect the formative influences and cultural expectations of being young and Black in America, serving as a means for Horton to heal personal trauma.
In his current exhibition as part of FOTOFOCUS 2024 Biennial, "Chapter 2: A Subtle Farewell to the Inner Child," Horton invites viewers to engage in meaningful dialogue about identity and healing through a blend of photography, drawings, collage, and a dynamic short film. His third solo exhibition, "Chapter 3: Be Home Before the Streetlights," is set to debut at KMAC Contemporary Art Museum in Louisville, KY, in November 2024.
Additionally, his "Coming of Age mural series" for the Blink Festival marks a significant milestone, showcasing three large-scale contemporary artworks across three blocks of Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine. This series enhances the cityscape, celebrates the Black experience, and addresses youth vulnerabilities, redefining public art as a powerful tool for empowerment and change.
Horton describes his work as “an intimate tapestry woven from deeply personal threads—lived experiences, wisdom, and spiritual revelations.” Each piece represents his ongoing evolution, embodying healing and a commitment to disrupt generational wounds.
His work is included in prestigious collections such as The Mercantile Library and The Cincinnati Art Museum. A 2022 residency with DiasporicSoul in Senegal further enriched his artistic journey and commitment to collective healing. Recognized in the Cincinnati Business Courier's 2023 40 Under 40 list, Horton holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Louisville, grounding his art in insights into societal influences and psychosocial development.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Contemporary Artist
Born in Louisville, Kentucky
Lives and works in Cincinnati, Ohio
Education
2008 — Master of Social Work, University of Louisville
2006 — Bachelor of Psychology, Thomas More College
Solo Exhibitions
2024 — Chapter three: Be Home Before the Streetlights, KMAC Contemporary Art Museum, Louisville, Kentucky
2024 — Chapter two: A Subtle Farewell to the Inner Child, Kennedy Heights Cultural Arts Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
2022 — Coming of Age: New Acquisition Exhibit, The Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio
2021 — Chapter One: Coming of Age The Alice F. & Harris K. Art Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio
Group Exhibitions
2024 — Proximity of Fate, Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio
2023 — The Inner Child, Koik Contemporary Gallery, Mexico City, Mexico
2023 — Ohio Voices, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio
2022 — Let’s Grow, Alpha Arts Alliance, Brooklyn, New York
2020 — Truth & Reconciliation, The National Underground Railroad Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio
2020 — Black & Brown Faces, The Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio
2020 — Uprising, The Kennedy Heights Arts Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
2020 — Not for Sale, The Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
2019 — Banz Studios Presents, Banz Studios Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio
2019 — Behind the Art, The Root Gallery, New Albany, Indiana
2019 — Manifestations of Time, The Mohawk Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio
Public Art Projects & Commissions
2024— Blink Lights Festival 2024, Cincinnati, Ohio
2022— Orange Barrel Media Presents Gee Horton, Atlanta, GA, Detroit, MI, Los Angeles, CA
2021 — Amazon Prime, “Harlem” Artwork Television Appearance – Season 1, Episode 11
2021 — Coming of Age Mural at Court Street Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio
2020 — The Cincinnati Music Fest Outdoor Art Museum at Washington Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
2020 — The Black Lives Matter! Mural at The City Hall of Cincinnati, Ohio
Collections
2022 — The Cincinnati Art Museum
2021 — The Mercantile Library of Cincinnati
2021 — The Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell Collection
Residencies
2022 — Diasporic Soul, Artist in Residence, (Month of July), Sebikhotane, Senegal West Africa
2021 — The Mercantile Library of Cincinnati, Artist in Residence – Peter H. Clark Portrait (Commission)
Professional Affiliations
Pres. — Artworks Cincinnati, Board of Trustee, Cincinnati, Ohio
2020 - 2023 Wavepool, Board of Trustee, Cincinnati, Ohio
2020 - 2022 Urban Consulate Host, Cincinnati, Ohio