kevans@mainlineart.org
610.525.0272 ext. 110
Kenyssa Evans is an interdisciplinary artist and community outreach organizer from Washington, DC. She moved to Philadelphia in 2016 to attend Moore College of Art & Design, where she studied Photography and Digital Arts with a minor in Curatorial Studies. Her work explores psychogeography, examining the emotional and psychological impact of Black fugitivity and spatial narratives. In 2021, she was awarded Mural Arts’ Philadelphia Fellowship for Black Artists and has since exhibited her work in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, and Seattle. She has also collaborated on outreach and public art projects with organizations such as Tacony Art Lab, Mural Arts, and Songha and Company.
Kenyssa professional experience includes working as a studio assistant for Hank Willis Thomas, an opportunity that deepened her understanding of art as a tool for community building and engagement. After years of working in major institutions such as the National Portrait Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and The Barnes Foundation, she transitioned to the art center to foster a more personal, community-driven connection to the arts.
Beyond her artistic practice, Evans enjoys reading historical and gothic fiction, sci-fi, magical realism, and folklore, as well as creating playlists and watching films and retro TV shows. She is particularly drawn to the works of directors David Lynch, Robert Eggers, and David Cronenberg. Her favorite artists include Francisco Goya, Paul Anthony Smith, Roy DeCarava, and Sandra Mujinga.