Omar Lawson

Omar Lawson is a New York–based artist whose large-scale, mixed-media portraits explore Black identity, individuality, and the nuances of perception. Working across oil, acrylic, colored pencil, and plexiglass, Lawson creates layered compositions that challenge stereotypes and celebrate the complexity of everyday people. His work draws inspiration from the concept of “sonder”—the realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as one’s own. Lawson’s paintings have been featured in exhibitions such as “Welcome Back” at NYC Culture Club and in group shows at First Street Gallery in Chelsea. He has participated in residencies with Liquitex and Artists Network, where he developed series focused on themes of dress, self-definition, and cultural memory. Influenced by artists like Kerry James Marshall and Barkley L. Hendricks, Lawson’s practice is rooted in both personal reflection and broader cultural commentary.