Go behind the scenes with Kadir Nelson

The renowned artist shares what inspired his painting, "Ancient Wonders of the World," which is featured on the November 2021 cover of National Geographic.

Kadir Nelson is an American author and artist based in Los Angeles whose paintings have been featured on the covers of The New Yorker and National Geographic. His work can also be found in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and National Museum of African American History and Culture, the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

You may recognize his iconic portraits with rich colors and modern realism from commemorative postage stamps, or even the cover of Drake’s 2013 album, Nothing Was the Same. His art has also graced the cover of Michael Jackson’s posthumous album, which was listed in the Guinness Book

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