Art Graphics Rooted in the African American Experience
Corey Barksdale's mural art graphics and concept paintings explore themes that reflect the African American experience — Southern tradition, music, spirituality, and identity, rendered in the same bold, energetic style that defines his large-scale mural work. The pieces below are a sample of that graphic concept work.
Porch Songs
Set against a backdrop of Southern architecture and abstract movement, Porch Songs is a vivid celebration of Black Southern tradition. The seated figure — playing guitar with eyes closed in soulful meditation — evokes the legacy of front-porch storytelling and communal gathering through music. The electric background, with surreal shapes and graffiti-inspired texture, reflects Barksdale's signature modern-meets-historic technique, bridging cultural heritage with urban contemporary energy as a testament to the oral and musical traditions that define Southern Black identity.
Blues Vibration
Blues Vibration channels the soul of Southern jazz and blues through expressive strokes and electrifying color. The mural spotlights a lone Black guitarist, his face shaded in rhythmic blues and reds, absorbed in the act of creation, while abstract tendrils swirl around him like sound waves suggesting the fluid, transcendent power of music. It blends musical legacy with street-style graphic intensity — an ode to America's musical roots suited to venues, festivals, or collectors honoring the Black artistic experience through contemporary mural work.
Hope Within
Radiating pure joy and individuality, Hope Within is a playful mural that bursts with color and personality, reimagining natural Black hair as an explosion of cheerful emojis reflecting mood, diversity, and emotion. The expressive composition merges pop culture with cultural celebration, symbolizing pride in one's uniqueness and identity — a clear example of the energy, movement, and vivid color combinations Barksdale's work is known for.
Spiritual Communication in Paint
This surreal, powerful piece visualizes spiritual communication through vibrant masks and celestial figures. The central character appears in a meditative trance, surrounded by ancestral spirits and cosmic energy, with dynamic lines and electric hues bridging African tradition and modern consciousness to evoke legacy, memory, and healing.
Geometric Fragments and Identity
This portrait fuses African heritage with modern street art. The figure's face and hair are composed of geometric fragments reminiscent of stained glass, symbolizing resilience, identity, and transformation. Set against a vibrant orange background, the piece radiates strength and unity, using bold color blocking and intricate line work to explore the power of self-perception and cultural pride.
From Concept Graphics to Commissioned Murals
These concept pieces show the same visual language that carries through into Barksdale's large-scale mural commissions — bold color, spiritual and cultural depth, and a distinctly Atlanta, African American point of view. Reach out to discuss a mural or original piece built around the same themes.
