Kadir Nelson

= Kadir Nelson =

Biography
Kadir Nelson was born on May 15, 1974, in Washington, D.C. Kadir began drawing at the tender age of three and has not stopped throughout his prolific career. Kadir apprenticed with his uncle, an artist and art teacher, who taught him art basics and how to use watercolors. In high school, he won an art scholarship to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. According to Donna Bray, co-publisher at Harper Collins, “Nelson’s talent is so legendary that even now illustration teachers are advised to grade on a curve, with Kadir being an A.”

After graduating from Pratt with a BFA, he was summoned to create conceptual artwork for Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated film Amistad. The producer of this film, Debbie Allen, was so impressed by his work she recruited him to illustrate her first picture book Brothers of the Night. The success of this book was followed by Dancing in the Wings.

Nelson continued illustrating books for children and became the go-to illustrator for Hollywood stars such as Will Smith, Spike Lee, and Michael Jordan. In 2006, he illustrated Moses; when Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom and won a Caldecott Honor. The following year, he illustrated Henry’s Freedom Box and received his second Caldecott Honor. Nelson’s success comes from an honest portrayal of African-Americans in American history. His illustrations lend dignity to Henry, a slave sealed in a box shipped to freedom and the soul-stirring biography of Harriet Tubman.

Soon Nelson would venture to author and illustrate We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. This New York Times best-selling picture book won the Coretta Scott King author award in 2008. Next, he took on the daunting task of writing and illustrating Heart and Soul, The Story of America and African Americans, winning a second Coretta Scott award in 2011. He has created artwork for HBO, Nike, Coca-Cola, and Disney. He not only creates large scale posters to celebrate the musical talents of Michael Jackson and Drake but 1-inch artwork on United States Postal Stamps commemorating Marvin Gaye, Will Chamberlain, players from the Negro League of Baseball, Ted Williams, and Joe DiMaggio.

Recently, Kadir Nelson was named the 2020 Caldecott Medal and the 2020 Coretta Scott King illustrator award for the Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander.

Themes
The themes displayed in Nelson’s illustrations and writing are nobility and dignity. He creates realistic art to tell stories that have “human truth.” His goal is to evoke strong emotions when viewing his artistry.

“My work is all about giving people a sense of hope and nobility. I want to show the strength and integrity of the human being and the human spirit”

Another theme in his artwork is the need to share positive portrayals of African-American history. In We Are the Ship, Nelson spent countless hours interviewing current and retired players to produce a picture book about a subject relatively unknown in American history.

“When I learn something, and I am inspired by it, it motivates me to share it with other people. Children’s books are a really great platform that allows me to do that.”

Writing/Artistic Style
Many artists have influenced Nelson’s work, including Ernie Barnes. Barnes is known for the unique way he showed movement in his art. He is also inspired by the Old Masters, like Michelangelo and Tanner.

Narrators are an important conveyor of information in Nelson’s historical writing style. In We Are The Ship, an “Everyman” ballplayer was chosen to tell the story of the Negro leagues from 1920 to 1947. He chooses this style of writing to draw in the reader.

Critics
Nelson’s work appears in galleries and museums around the world. The Museum of African-American History in Detroit, Michigan, and the Bristol Museum in England are just a few of the museums that have displayed his work. His artwork appears in national and international publications, including National Geographic, The New Yorker, and Sports Illustrated. His portrait of Shirley Chisholm, the first African American congresswoman, hangs in the esteemed U.S. House of Representatives.

There are many documents in which critics describe Nelson’s realistic portrayal of Americans, but negative critical analysis is rare or nonexistent.

Additional information


In “Say Their Name,” Nelson illuminated the Black Lives Movement in a tribute to George Floyd. The cover of The New Yorker Magazine displayed a headshot of Floyd and 18 slain African-Americans beneath his shoulders on June 26, 2020.