Born in 1974, Nathan Lee is the quintessential Renaissance man. Having explored several genres of artistic expression, he has shown that he has a grasp of the essence of creativity. His journey into art began as an underground hip hop artist in the conscious group Urban Philosophy but left music as the industry more concerned with monetary gain over artistic integrity. It during his time in New York that Lee was inspired by a prominent African American mixed media artist named Danny Simmons. Lee became one of the most respected young artists in his state in a surprisingly brief period of time. His desire to grow in the visual arts did not stop with simply creating art, Lee wanted to help other artists of color find their way in the Oklahoma art community. He, along with several other committed artists formed Inclusion in Art. Inclusion in Art is dedicated to promoting racial diversity in Oklahoma's art community. Lee has made good on that mission and has curated several high profile exhibitions focusing on racial inclusion, social issues, and more. Most recently, he was the curator of the well received exhibition TRANSCEND which put the spotlight on Oklahoma's contemporary Black artists.
Currently, Nathan Lee has entered the arena of filmmaking with TRANSCEND the film. Lee conceived and produced this film and also participates on screen. Directed by fellow Oklahoma filmmaker j. Leigh, TRANSCEND probes the lives of five contemporary Black artists living in Oklahoma. Nathan Lee hopes to use the film as a tool of education and as a unifying force to motivate more artists of color to pursue their goals and aspirations.
