Marlon Mullen


Marlon Mullen is a painter who lives and works in Contra Costa County, California, maintaining a studio practice at NIAD Art Center. He achieved widespread acclaim for his work when it was displayed at the 2019 Whitney Biennial. In 2024, Mullen became the first developmentally disabled person to have a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Life

Born in 1963 in Richmond, California, Mullen is autistic and is primarily nonverbal.

Artistic practice

Mullen has maintained his art practice at NIAD (Nurturing Independence through Artistic Development) Art Center in Richmond, CA, since 1993. Mullen makes text-inspired paintings, referencing the graphic design of art magazines such as Artforum.

Solo exhibitions

Mullen has exhibited throughout the United States.

Group exhibitions

Awards

Public collections