Shantell Martin’s work goes beyond art, it’s an immersive journey into storytelling, identity, and space transformation. With a rich background in collaborations, commissions, institutional projects, and museum shows, Shantell has been on a journey of mastering her line and the art of creating pieces that not only capture attention but also provoke thought and emotion. Her distinctive style, rooted in self-exploration and social consciousness, offers more than a visual tapestry.
In 2025, Shantell was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for her contributions to British arts and charity. Her ability to see the bigger picture and address systemic challenges through her work uniquely equips her to tackle complex, meaningful projects. She is committed to pushing boundaries and creating a lasting impact.
Shantell Martin has collaborated with an inspiring array of corporate clients, cultural institutions, and world-renowned brands. Her work spans diverse industries, consistently breaking new ground through impactful, visually captivating projects.
Museum Shows/Installations
Whitney Museum, Denver Art Museum, New Britain Museum of American Art, Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts, MoMA, Albright-Knox Art Museum, Brooklyn Museum.
Boards
British Ambassador’s Strategic Advisory Group, Governors Island Arts Advisory Board, Climate Museum Advisory Board, UAL Ambassador Board.
Institutions & Non-Profit Collaborations
92nd Street Y, Trust of Governors Island, New York City Ballet, Boston Ballet, Los Angeles Ballet, Art Production Fund, Keep a Child Alive, (RED), Public Art Fund, Nine Dot Arts, Global Citizen, AmFAR.
Brand Collaborations
Rimowa, Mattel/UNO, B&B Italia, Tiffany & Co., Flos, Kelly Wearstler, Vitra, The North Face, Jose Cuervo/1800, Max Mara, Kendrick Lamar, American Express, Martone Cycling Co., WME IMG/New York Fashion Week, Interview Magazine, Saks Fifth Avenue, Canada Goose, United Arrows & Sons, KCA Black Ball, Golden Vines Awards, United Airlines.
Commissions
Rockefeller Center, Times Square Alliance, Art Production Fund, Sotheby’s, Fotografiska, Google, Airbnb, Facebook, Young & Rubicam, Mother New York, Adobe, Phillips Auction House, Christie’s, W Hotel Union Square.
At the core of art lies a special bond - a genuine relationship between the artist and the collector.
If you're drawn to the idea of owning an original piece by Shantell Martin, we invite you to explore our Shop. For those interested in a more personalized touch through commissioning, please send us an email.
Branding & Design by Anton & Irene with love
Shantell Martin collaborated with countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo to create the video for his new single, In Darkness Let Me Dwell, released by Nonesuch Records as part of his forthcoming album, Countertenor. Originally composed by John Dowland more than four centuries ago, the piece is performed by Costanzo alongside Dušan Balarin on lute.
Responding to the music, Martin created a visual world built from geometry, lines, words, light, and darkness. Individual forms inhabit a kind of solar system, surrounded by a boundary of dashed light and orbiting a luminous central sphere. As the song unfolds, the viewer moves through this world: drifting toward and away from its forms, moving in and out of focus as day becomes night and light becomes dark.
At the center is a glowing presence that feels simultaneously warm and ominous, something capable of representing both life and death. By the end of the journey, that light has become a dark moon, offering the singer and viewer a final place to dwell.
“For me, lines have become markers and beacons of time, place, and space. Collectively, they become harmonies of what has been, what might be, and what things could become. In this piece, life and death exist in the same sun. There is darkness, but there is also a subtle tenderness and a sense of devotion. The song is still made, the song is still sung, and there is hope in that act of creating, making, and sharing.” Shantell Martin
The video extends Dowland’s centuries-old meditation on darkness into a contemporary visual landscape, where opposing forces continually coexist: light and dark, movement and stillness, presence and absence, life and death.
In Darkness Let Me Dwell is out now, ahead of Anthony Roth Costanzo’s forthcoming album and book, Countertenor.