Xavier McFarlin (b. 1994, Landstuhl, Germany) is an artist whose multifaceted practice integrates video, photography, sculpture, and painting. Drawing upon a richly multicultural background, McFarlin embarks on an exploration of potential futures, conceptualised through the perspectives of supernatural characters. His art serves as a medium for investigating complex themes of identity, transformation, and societal dynamics, all while challenging prevailing narratives.
Returning to Texas at the age of 18 after a formative upbringing in Okinawa, Japan, McFarlin leveraged his experiences to articulate and confront the intricacies of his queer Black and Latinx identity. Through a deliberate and reflective process, he utilizes his own body within his creative endeavors, emphasizing personal narrative and collective experience. Furthermore, his collaborative approach involves engaging with individuals in his communities, fostering a shared dialogue that leads to the creation of immersive environments and alternate realities that invite viewers to reflect on the intersections of culture, otherness, and the supernatural.
McFarlin received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Parsons School of Design in 2019. His work has garnered recognition, having been presented in a variety of group exhibitions, including BRIC Gallery in Brooklyn, NY; Aperture Gallery in New York, NY; Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN; the Institute for Aesthetic Advocacy in Minneapolis, MN; and the 2021 Texas Biennial. McFarlin currently resides and works in New York, NY, where he continues to expand the horizons of his artistic practice, contributing to contemporary dialogues on identity and representation in an increasingly complex world.
Returning to Texas at the age of 18 after a formative upbringing in Okinawa, Japan, McFarlin leveraged his experiences to articulate and confront the intricacies of his queer Black and Latinx identity. Through a deliberate and reflective process, he utilizes his own body within his creative endeavors, emphasizing personal narrative and collective experience. Furthermore, his collaborative approach involves engaging with individuals in his communities, fostering a shared dialogue that leads to the creation of immersive environments and alternate realities that invite viewers to reflect on the intersections of culture, otherness, and the supernatural.
McFarlin received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from Parsons School of Design in 2019. His work has garnered recognition, having been presented in a variety of group exhibitions, including BRIC Gallery in Brooklyn, NY; Aperture Gallery in New York, NY; Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN; the Institute for Aesthetic Advocacy in Minneapolis, MN; and the 2021 Texas Biennial. McFarlin currently resides and works in New York, NY, where he continues to expand the horizons of his artistic practice, contributing to contemporary dialogues on identity and representation in an increasingly complex world.