On the “City Lights” series “Speaking of Art,” local artists share insights into their influences, processes, and experiences in town. This edition features artist Steve R. Allen. “I work now in a style that I’ve been informed is Fractal Afrofuturism,” Allen says.
“What it is is I use a lot of geometric shapes and patterns and whatnot that I create in that type of work. Incorporating that with human figures at times.”
When Allen moved to Atlanta in 1992, he was taken to the National Black Arts Festival. He looked at the work and determined that he could do that, too.
A couple of months later, after quitting his job, he started painting that day and it took off from there. “In about three years, I was an official artist for the centennial Olympic Games here in Atlanta,” Allen reflected. He’s subsequently done work for a total of eight Olympic Games. Two of the pieces he created for the Games are in the Smithsonian.
You can find more information about Steve Allen’s work on Instagram here.
