Marla McLeod

Marla McLeod is a Lecturer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Theater Arts department. Her artistic practice explores black identity and social constructs through portrait paintings, textiles, and sculptures. McLeod's work has been featured in the 2022 deCordova Triennial and recognized by the Boston Globe as one of '5 Outstanding Art School Grads'. She has received multiple awards including the Walter Feldman Fellowship from the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston.

Her research focuses on investigating how history and race relate to the power of the black body by combating false narratives and exploring new ones. McLeod unites symbolism from Black history and contemporary Black culture to decipher dehumanizing representations while emphasizing symbols of pride and power.