Kenya Hanley's first drawings in the studio were rudimentary renderings of people he encountered in his everyday life and saw on television. As he developed his artistic voice, his characters became more stylized while staying true to their signature simplicity. Paying particular attention to hairstyles and accessories, his subjects sport fades, headwraps, flattops, caesars, dreadlocks and gold chains, harkening back to the classic looks of Brooklyn in the 1990s. Subjects gaze head on, and each person’s features are pared down, relying on their outfits and hair to identify them. Eventually, Hanley began incorporating his favorite foods, often sickly sweet desserts, into his configurations. Plates of french fries, twinkies, beef patties, and red velvet cakes were organized on the page in rows, columns and piles. The combination of food clusters, reggae stars, and television actors developed into the recognizable compositions he creates today. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Hanley has maintained a studio practice at LAND since its inception in 2005.