Taj francis biography

Taj Francis has always been crafting his own reality. 

“I would come home every day and draw a comic book page in high school: It was an obsession,” he admits.

Creating this work only for himself, the Jamaican-born, Kingston-based artist formed the basis of a disciplined, generative practice, one which continues to ground him to this day. His references—everything from manga to Jamaican festivals to the work of Wifredo Lam and Mœbius—meld together until he is “marbling tropicality” to create the existence he seeks.

Thursday night, Appleton Estate brought the artist’s vision to Basel, Switzerland, with an intimate cocktail hour at Acqua presenting his work and highlighting Jamaican excellence.

Timed with the annual art fair, the evening buzzed with the effervescence of the scene as collectors, advisors, gallerists, and art lover