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Vaughn Spann

Born in 1992 in Florida, Vaughn Spann lives and works in New Jersey. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Rutgers University and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting & Printmaking from the Yale School of Art.

Moving fluidly between abstraction and figuration, Spann’s practice is devoted to investigating space, time, and memory. Drawing from diverse subjects including the deeply personal, he reconciles with his body within and beyond the studio. With a deep admiration for formalism, the artist approaches his paintings through the lens of color, line, and shape, grounded in the foundational acknowledgement that one's subjectivity can't simply be divorced from the studio.

For Spann, form provides a powerful vehicle for generating meaning. His work engages familiar symbols– from the X to the American flag– and transforms them into layered interrogations of history, power, and signification. These formal inquiries permeate throughout his paintings, symbolically reflecting his encounters with diverse people and places. Through his well-known stylistic separations, Spann continues to vigorously experiment with unconventional materials while expanding his personal and historical narratives.

Recent solo exhibitions include 'Allegories', Tampa Museum of Art, FL, US (2024); 'Vaughn Spann: Lineage', Samek Art Museum, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, US (2021); and 'Vaughn Spann: Open Onto', Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO, US (2020). Spann has also participated in group shows at notable institutions such as the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture, Charlotte, NC, US (2026); the Museum of Art and Design Miami Dade College Freedom Tower, FL, US (2026); the Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, Seville, Spain (2026); the Bunker, Miami, FL, US (2025); the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, New York, NY, US (2025); the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), La Jolla, CA, US (2025); the Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY, US (2024); the Vanhaerents Art Collection, Tripostal, Lille, France (2023); and ICA Miami, FL, US (2022).

The artist’s work is present in many prestigious collections, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CA, US; the Rubell Museum, Miami, FL, US; the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC, US; the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, NY, US; the Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL, US; the Brooklyn Museum, NY, US; the Bass Museum of Art, Miami, FL, US; the Birmingham Museum of Art, AL, US; the Perez Art Museum, Miami, FL, US; the Montclair Art Museum, NJ, US; the Indianapolis Museum of Art, IN, US; and the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA, US.

  • Biography

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Selected artworks

  • Vaughn Spann,                                      America (In Brown), 2026

    Vaughn Spann America (In Brown), 2026

    Polymer paint, mixed media, canvas on wood panel
    121.9 x 106.7 cm
    48 x 42 in

  • Vaughn Spann,                                      Before it all burns down, 2025

    Vaughn Spann Before it all burns down, 2025

    Polymer paint, mixed media, canvas on wood panel
    152.4 x 121.9 x 10.2 cm
    60 x 48 x 4 in

  • Vaughn Spann,                                      Beloved Bliss (Big Black Rainbow), 2022

    Vaughn Spann Beloved Bliss (Big Black Rainbow), 2022

    Mixed media, terry cloth, canvas on aluminum stretcher bars
    203.2 x 213.4 x 4.1 cm
    80 x 84 x 1 5/8 in

  • Vaughn Spann,                                      Passages, 2022

    Vaughn Spann Passages, 2022

    Polymer paint, mixed media, canvas on wood panel
    213.4 x 213.4 x 7.6 cm
    84 x 84 x 3 in

  • Vaughn Spann,                                      Deep Six (Night Blue), 2019

    Vaughn Spann Deep Six (Night Blue), 2019

    Polymer paint, fabric and mixed media on canvas
    46 x 40 x 1 1/2 in
    116.8 x 101.6 x 3.81 cm

  • Vaughn Spann,                                      The exchange (north star), 2020

    Vaughn Spann The exchange (north star), 2020

    Polymer paint, fabric, mixed media on canvas
    228.6 x 381 x 8.9 cm
    90 x 150 x 3 1/2 in

  • Vaughn Spann,                                      Sweet Red, 2019

    Vaughn Spann Sweet Red, 2019

    Polymer paint and mixed media on wood panel
    30 x 24 x 3 in
    76.2 x 61 x 7.62 cm

Selected press