Born Marquis Lewis on March 24, 1979, in Los Angeles, CA, Retna joined the Los Angeles mural scene as a teenager.
As a youth of African-American, El Salvadorian and Cherokee descent growing up in Los Angeles, Retna was mesmerized by the gang graffiti that surrounded him. He began practicing the art form and adopted the name Retna from a Wu-Tang Clan song. In the mid-nineties, he began making murals on walls, trains and freeway overpasses throughout the city.
Retna transformed from a street artist to a break-out star in the contemporary art world. He garnered attention from Usher, an R&B artist, who commissioned the artist to create a portrait of Marvin Gaye, and MOCA director Jeffrey Deitch, who wrote in the September 2010 issue of Juxtapoz “one of the most exciting exhibitions...this year, anywhere, was Retna's exhibition at New Image Art.” MOCA also featured Retna's work in the major “Art in the Streets” exhibit, the first major U.S. museum survey of graffiti and street art.
At first glance, Retna’s prints and paintings look like an undiscovered ancient script: a series of hypnotic symbols — complex, beautiful and captivating. But he has created an original alphabet, fusing together influences from ancient Incan and Egyptian hieroglyphics, Arabic, Asian calligraphy, graffiti, blackletter, Roman lettering and Hebrew script.
Each piece carries meaning, conveying an event or dialogue that the artist experienced. The writing does not belong to a particular language. Retna explains, “I want my text to feel universal. I want people from different cultures to all find some similarity in it — whether they can read it or not.” He has also stated that “it is important to have art in the streets as a cultural fabric that is woven into the city for the upliftment of civic pride.”
Retna’s works are in the private collections of Jeffrey Deitch, Swizz Beats, Usher, and Dave Chappelle, among many others. His large-scale mural across the eastern exterior of Restoration Hardware’s new gallery in West Palm, Florida, was valued at $500,000 by the city’s Art in Public Places program.
Retna has collaborated with major fashion brands including Nike, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Helmut Lang, and designed the artwork for Justin Bieber’s Purpose album cover. RETNA also acted as the artistic designer for the San Francisco and Washington National Opera’s production of “Aida."
Find original Retna art on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by New Union Gallery)
RETNA X BTS Silkscreen Skateboard Edition of 250
By RETNA
Located in Draper, UT
RETNA X BTS Silkscreen Skateboard Edition of 250 2018 Limited edition Silkscreen on maple wood skateboard deck. 31 × 8 × 1 in 78.7 × 20.3 × 2.5 cm Edition of 250 Comes with Certifica...
Wood, Screen
Skateboard Skate deck (Blue) with COA hand signed by RETNA - Lt. Ed. of only 100
By RETNA
Located in New York, NY
RETNA Skateboard Skate deck (Blue with wood back) with COA hand signed by RETNA, 2018 Silkscreen on Maplewood skate deck. Accompanied by Hand signed Certificate of Authenticity on Embossed Letterhead. Limited Edition of 100 Separate embossed Certificate of Authenticity hand signed by RETNA 32 × 8 1/2 inches Unframed Limited edition of only 100 - not to be confused with similar looking skateboard from the larger edition of 250. This work is accompanied an embossed Certificate of Authenticity, issued by the sponsor "Beyond the Streets...
Maple, Screen
Beyond the Streets: Skateboard w/COA signed by RETNA (Limited Edition of 100)
By RETNA
Located in New York, NY
RETNA Skateboard (Blue with red back) and embossed COA hand signed by RETNA, 2018 Silkscreen on Maplewood skate deck. Accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity hand signed by RETNA on Embossed Letterhead 32 × 8 1/2 inches Edition of 100 Accompanied by embossed Certificate of Authenticity hand signed by RETNA Limited edition of only 100 - not to be confused with sthe larger edition of 250. This work is accompanied an embossed Certificate of Authenticity, issued by the sponsor "Beyond the Streets...
Screen, Maple
Vagos y Reinas (Vagabonds and Queens), Hand Signed, Numbered by RETNA and El Mac
By RETNA
Located in New York, NY
Makes a fantastic gift! RETNA and El Mac Vagos y Reinas (Vagabonds and Queens), Hand Signed by both Artists, 2009 Limited Edition Exhibition Catalog and Screen Printed Box. Hand sign...
Offset, Ink, Board
RETNA X BTS Silkscreen Skateboard Edition of 100
By RETNA
Located in Draper, UT
RETNA X BTS Silkscreen Skateboard Edition of 100 2018 Limited edition Silkscreen on maple wood skateboard deck. 31 × 8 × 1 in 78.7 × 20.3 × 2.5 cm Edition of 100 Comes with Certifica...
Wood, Birch, Screen
RETNA X Beyond the Streets Complete Set of Skate Decks
By RETNA
Located in Draper, UT
Up for sale is a complete set of skate decks featuring offset lithographs in colors by the renowned artist Retna. This set, produced by Beyond the Streets...
Wood
Price Upon Request
RETNA x Beyond the Streets Skateboard Deck (limited edition)
By RETNA
Located in NEW YORK, NY
RETNA x Beyond The Streets Limited Edition Skate Deck: Published in conjunction with the 2018 Los Angeles exhibit, Beyond the Streets. Accompanied by an embossed, hand-signed COA b...
Offset
$2,250
H 20.5 in W 32.7 in
Jose Parla "The Founders" Print Street Art Contemporary Street
By José Parlá
Located in Draper, UT
Jose Parla "The Founders" Time Limited Edition of 1368 Dimensions: 20.5in x 32.7in Medium: Archival pigment print on 305 gsm Hahnemühle Photo Rag Ultra Smoo...
Screen
$5,000
H 30.125 in W 41.875 in D 1.25 in
“Three Movements" Limited Edition Hand-Signed Serigraph by Yaacov Agam, Framed
By Yaacov Agam
Located in Encino, CA
"Three Movements," an original silkscreen by Yaacov Agam, is a piece for the true collector. Agam is considered the father of Kinetic art. His iconic style is recognizable across the...
Screen
$50,000
H 27.55 in W 19.685 in
Space Invader LED Screen Print Lazarides Edition of 100 Street Art Urban Art
By Invader
Located in Draper, UT
Screenprint Signed and dated to lower right Edition 63/100 to lower left One of the most sought after prints by Invader fans as this was his last release with Steve Lazarides. Mr. Lazaride's is a legend in his own right having represented everyone from Banksy, Paul Incest and many others. This is a must have for any Invader Was Here Fan! This print is special to us as it represents our childhood sitting around arcades and playing the famous Arcade Game SPACE INVADERS. Being a product of the 70's/80's please and thank you...
Screen
$285
H 0.99 in Dm 10.24 in
Green Portrait with Struck-Through Text, Conceptual Figurative. Currency #268
By Natasha Lelenco
Located in FISTERRA, ES
This circular portrait combines vibrant green and violet tones with conceptual text intervention to explore identity, legibility, and symbolic erasure. Painted in acrylic on a round ...
Wood, Acrylic
The Sky's The Limit By Howard Hodgkin
By Howard Hodgkin
Located in Dubai, Dubai
The Sky's The Limit By Howard Hodgkin 2002 Medium: Serigraph Paper Size: 30 x 33 inches ( 76 x 84 cm ) Image Size: 25.25 x 30 inches ( 64 x 76 cm ) Edition Size: 500
Screen
Sand & Sea
By Michael David
Located in Phoenix, AZ
encaustic on panel b. 1954, Reno Nevada Michael David is best known for his use of encaustic on large abstract paintings. A practitioner of Abstract Expressionism, David layers bees...
Wood, Wax, Encaustic, Oil
Dance '72
By Sam Gilliam
Located in New York, NY
Color screenprint, 1972. Signed by the artist and dated in pencil, lower right margin. Numbered 24/60 in pencil lower left,. Printed and published by Workshop, Inc., Washington, D...
Screen
$2,000
H 8.125 in W 6 in D 1 in
Barry McGee Full Set Reynolds, Spanky, Steamer, Dollin, Theotis Skateboard Decks
Located in Draper, UT
A member of the so-called Mission School, Barry McGee got his start as a graffiti artist in late 1980s San Francisco, where he tagged under the moniker Twi...
Wood, Maple, Screen
Anthropometrie ANT 148
By Yves Klein
Located in New York, NY
Color screenprint on heavy white wove archival paper. Edition of 200. Printed by l'Atelier Eric Linard, Paris. Published by Editions T.A.T Arts, Paris, with the printed justificat...
Screen, Color
Welcome Mat Banksy GDP
By Banksy
Located in London, GB
Banksy GDP (after) Banksy Welcome Mat Hand-stitched fabric from life vests abandoned on the Mediterranean beaches edition of 500 unsigned, unnumbered 45.0 x ...
Fabric
$392
H 0.99 in Dm 10.24 in
Inverted Monochrome Moldovan Portrait with Red Blue Circular Field. Currency 270
By Natasha Lelenco
Located in FISTERRA, ES
This inverted monochrome Moldovan portrait by Natasha Lelenco, part of her ongoing Exchange Currencies series (I’m Sorry, I’m Not From Here), is an acrylic painting on a circular pin...
Wood, Acrylic
$437
H 0.99 in Dm 10.24 in
Black Female Portrait on Red Wood Background with English Text, "Currency #272"
By Natasha Lelenco
Located in FISTERRA, ES
This monochrome portrait by Natasha Lelenco, part of her ongoing Exchange Currencies series (I’m Sorry, I’m Not From Here), is an acrylic painting on a circular pine wood panel (26 c...
Wood, Acrylic
Sold
H 32 in W 8.5 in
Lt. Ed. Skate deck (Blue with blue back) with embossed COA, hand signed by RETNA
By RETNA
Located in New York, NY
RETNA Skate deck (Blue with green back) with embossed COA, hand signed by RETNA, 2018 Limited Edition Silkscreen on Maplewood skatedeck with blue colored back. Accompanied by Hand signed Certificate of Authenticity on Embossed Letterhead. 32 × 8 1/2 inches This work is accompanied an embossed Certificate of Authenticity measuring 4 x 6 inches, issued by the sponsor "Beyond the...
Maple, Screen, Wood
RETNA X BTS Silkscreen Skateboard Edition of 100 V.I.P. Event
By RETNA
Located in Draper, UT
TITLE: RETNA X BTS Silkscreen Skateboard Edition of 100 YEAR: 2018 CLASSIFICATION: Limited edition MEDIUM TYPE: Installation MEDIUM/MATERIALS: Silkscreen on maple wood skateboard dec...
Wood, Birch, Screen
Sold
H 32 in W 10 in D 2 in
RETNA Beyond The Streets New York City 2018 Skateboard Urban Art Street Art
By RETNA
Located in Draper, UT
Beyond The Streets, 2018 Skateboard 32 × 10 × 2 in 81.3 × 25.4 × 5.1 cm Edition of 250 Comes With Signed Certificate Of Authenticity by the artist, RETNA. PROVENANCE COA From Beyo...
Wood, Screen
RETNA Beyond the Streets Skateboard Deck (limited edition)
By RETNA
Located in NEW YORK, NY
RETNA Beyond The Streets Limited Edition Skate Deck From a sold out edition of 250. Blue and white. Published in conjunction with the 2018 Los Ang...
Screen
RETNA Beyond the Streets Skateboard Deck (limited edition)
By RETNA
Located in NEW YORK, NY
RETNA Beyond The Streets Limited Edition Skate Deck From a sold out edition of 250. Blue and white. Published in conjunction with the 2018 Los Ang...
Screen
RETNA Beyond the Streets Skateboard Deck (limited edition)
By RETNA
Located in NEW YORK, NY
RETNA Beyond The Streets Limited Edition Skate Deck Blue and white. From a sold out edition of 250. Published in conjunction with the 2018 Los Ang...
Screen