Kerry James Marshall believes in the Davincian idea of art as science - how art can help us progress towards certain goals we have as humanity. His work is about creating a platform for ideas – it is not a place for self-expression, although when looked at laterally there is a lot of that. If you look at his paintings, you can see that nothing is casual. His personal history is inextricably entwined with that of the African American civil rights movement.