Lamavis Comundoiwilla

Artist Statement

I began painting in prison around 2018, after joining the William James Association Arts and Correction program. There I developed my own style to create portraits honoring the beauty and sacrifice of Black women. This style, which I call Fusion, combines pointillism with at least two other genres. I blend vivid scenes of Black females inspired by biblical themes.

My art is inspired by Afro-Centric cultures, such as the Mores, Nubians and Komati. I paint, draw, and sketch using oils, acrylic, pastels, pencil, ink and graphite, to make art that reminds viewers of places where the bloodlines of strength and power have been forgotten or misplaced.

Artist Bio

Lamavis Comundoiwilla, 54, is a Compton, California native. He's currently incarcerated at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Lamavis has been incarcerated 29 years and is up for parole consideration in 2024. He was awarded a First Place Prize at the 2019 Marin County Fair. His work has been featured at the Marin Civic Center Bartolini Gallery, San Francisco Airport Terminal, San Francisco Opera House Museum, the Sacramento, California, Capitol Building, University of Derby, England, University of California, Berkeley, The Museum of the African Diaspora, and DreamCorp’s National Empathy Day and Black Futures Weekend events.

Read more about him in San Quentin News, A Journey into Afro-futurism.