Nathaniel Oliver (b. 1996, Washington, DC) imbues the tradition of Black figurative painting with magical realism. Staged vignettes rife with symbolism, their landscapes are inhabited by figures, in Oliver’s words, “grappling with their varied situations as Black adventurers”—fishing, running, swimming, on the lookout for threats both worldly and otherworldly, moving through portals to hidden dimensions. These characters explore faraway lands that exist somewhere between imagination and reality, occupying scenes that blend elements of the artist’s everyday life with a dizzying array of objects, creatures, and plants from around the world. Inspired by Black art history, speculative science fiction, and cosmic jazz, Oliver layers references into elaborate narratives writ large in oil. The artist lives in New York.

Oliver’s work has been shown in solo exhibitions at Karma, Los Angeles (2025) and New York (2024); FLAG Art Foundation, New York (2024); HOUSING Gallery, New York (2021, 2020); and Harvest Emerging Art, Washington, DC (2013), among others. His work is held in the collection of the RISD Museum, Providence, Rhode Island.