Coming of Age Chapter I – In Search of Self… Identity features a new series of work by Gee Horton (Cincinnati, OH) who creates an autobiographical installation offering a complex multilayered conversation about Black male adolescents and their search for identity, acceptance, purpose, and love. The installation includes exquisite portrait drawings, sculptures inspired by the urban environment, and a
video, all informed by Horton’s own experiences and struggles as a teenager growing up in Louisville, KY, reflecting upon the challenges posed by the world in which he grew up.

Gee Horton is a Cincinnati-based, self-trained Hyperrealist visual artist whose artistic practice began roughly three years ago. He earned a Bachelors in Psychology from Thomas More University in 2006 and a Masters in Social Work from Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville in 2008. He often incorporates his education and life experiences into his art to achieve a kind of power that for many triggers emotional associations. In the summer of 2020, Horton left his job in the non-profit sector to focus on creating art full-time.

In a relatively brief career as an artist, Horton has set an ambitious agenda showcasing his artistic talents through exhibitions and public projects. In 2020, he was a participating artist in the Black Lives Matter street mural project in downtown Cincinnati on Plum Street, and was also featured in the group exhibition Black and Brown Faces presented at the Cincinnati Art Museum. In 2021, he was awarded a Truth and Reconciliation grant from ArtsWave, and was featured in a group exhibition at the National Underground Freedom Center featuring all of the recipients. In addition, he was awarded a mural commission from 3CDC as part of the Court Street Plaza renovation project, and most recently he participated in live drawing sessions at Rhinegeist Brewery as part of his Studio Box project. His exhibition at the Weston represents his first solo exhibition.