About

Zane Killgo was born in Washington, D.C., the son of a musician/educator and  technology professional. He was raised in the D.C. metropolitan area with his parents and older brother.

After graduating from Norfolk State University in May 2021 with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts degree, Zane decided to continue his studies pursuing his Master’s in Fine Arts degree. His art focuses on changing neighborhoods and the disenfranchisement and gentrification of communities.

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As an artist, he explores the various narratives and happenings that occur within certain neighborhoods and households. Specifically more so within the African-American community. It is focusing on the various things that occur within these communities and groups of people in relation to the world. Such as the community culture & structural discrimination that happens within these areas, and the specific effects that arise from these things. Incorporating concepts like displacement, depicting these narratives from the point of view of the people that reside in specific areas.

Through these narratives, he aims to create the various landscapes and cityscapes in these communities. Aiming to capture the specific soul of a city, neighborhood, or household by displaying their distinctive and idiosyncratic characteristics. Living in a variety of different areas in metropolitan Washington, D.C., Zane experienced a lot; as an artist, he now works to recreate these experiences through his unique artistic style.

While creating his work, he uses both traditional and digital materials, including acrylic paint, textiles, photography, printmaking, and computer programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, In-Design, and Fresco. Using a combination of these media, he carefully recreates landscapes and cityscapes with vibrant, saturated hues to create folk-like art.

Engaging with the community is very important to Zane. In 2021 he

collaborated with Norfolk State and the City of Norfolk, in order to help conduct and create a community engagement project. In this project, participants of the Tidewater Gardens community helped to conceptualize a piece of art about the redeveloping neighborhood. Then Zane returned to the studio with the piece, Tidewater Together, (2021) to be further developed.

In 2022, Zane’s work, Tidewater Together, was featured in the New York Times Style Magazine article, “The Historically Black College Reconsiders the Studio Art Program,” published July 8, 2022.

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Most recently, Zane had two works accepted in his first National Juried Show, “Claim to Fame,” presented by the Arlington Artists Alliance. The exhibit opens on Monday, January 30, 2023, and runs through Friday, February 25, 2023, at the Gallery Underground located in the Crystal City neighborhood in Arlington,  Virginia.