Inspired by five generations of tradesmen and woodworkers in his family history, Maurelle (he/him) works with his hands to create sculptures from wood, metal, and found materials. These compositions consider the tension between philosophies he inherited from his plumber grandfather and his architect father: the relationship between execution and design, labor and creativity. His works, which also include video and photography, speak to memory, history, and place, and often commemorate influential Black figures like Fred Hampton, Althea Gibson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, as well as the African diaspora more broadly. His work has been presented at venues such as CUE Foundation in New York, Philadelphia City Hall, the African American Museum in Philadelphia, and Fleisher/Ollman Gallery. His awards include a Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture Fellowship and a Windgate International Turning Exchange Residency from the Museum for Art in Wood. Maurelle earned an MFA from the University of Pennsylvania and a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute.
