Local artist Felix Maull debuted a one-of-a-kind canvas painting at the 2022 Chancellor’s Luncheon, a Metropolitan Community College Foundation benefit held each winter in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy. Today, that original Maull painting hangs in EAG’s office in the Crossroads Art District. While it may seem trite to say a piece of art speaks to someone, it’s true in this case as far as Maull’s artwork visually representing what matters to the buyer and those who view it.
“I read Felix’s goal with his art is understanding life and its various forms. He believes the passion to create is inspired and fostered by the people you have conversations with. Of course, everything we do at EAG is designed to start conversations between our clients and their customers. However, that is our work, our product per se. As a small business in Kansas City, it’s important to our team and mission to support important causes and facilitate discussions any way we can to strengthen our community, from the causes we support to the artwork we display,” says Michele Markham, EAG President and CEO.
On Thursday, May 5th, 2022, EAG’s team gathered to meet Maull as he personally signed his artwork now prominently displayed for all who enter to view, and to inspire conversation.
The Story Behind the Art
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension. It is the presence of justice.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
As an event artist for The Chancellor’s Luncheon, Maull was tasked with representing Dr. King’s quote in one image. “My process involved brainstorming the best way to do this without saying something I wasn’t trying to say. It came down to having conversations about uncomfortable things,” explains Maull. “Another conversation worth having is about all the police shootings. In the painting, I documented names of those we’ve lost from January 1st to the time of the benefit event.”
Maull’s artwork is on a custom wood panel, on which he used acrylics, spray paint and paint pens. His color scheme is that of the rainbow. Maull says, “The rainbow highlights the message of diversity and inspires hope with bright colors. I hope when people see this it eases the tension of thinking about the conversation. What I want is to be able to have the conversation.”
About Felix Maull, Artist and Filmmaker
Maull served as full-time visual arts coordinator for a public/private collaborative venture that strives to empower the lives of underserved urban youth through developing artistic, health and educational skills. He worked his way up to that position from a computer technician and apprentice responsible for teaching young people traditional fine art and digital art fundamentals.
Maull is also a practicing freelance artist and assistant curator at the Vine Street Studio, organizing art shows featuring other local artists of color who need exposure and resources. Maull is one of 11 artists chosen to work on a mural commemorating the historic Brown v. Board of Education case at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka.