KDR is thrilled to present a solo exhibition of historical work by Miami artist Purvis Young, on view from September 5 to October 11, 2025. Works on view are courtesy of The Purvis Young Legacy Collection.
Purvis Young was born in Liberty City, a neighborhood of Miami, Florida. After serving three years in prison, Young made a life-changing decision to pursue art. Upon his release, he poured his heart into creating thousands of small drawings, tenderly preserving them in shopping carts and gluing them into discarded books found on the streets. In 1971, his journey led him to Overtown’s abandoned Goodbread Alley—named after the Jamaican bakeries that once filled the street— where he would make his home and create his legendary outdoor gallery.
Purvis Young (b. 1943- 2010) was born in Miami, FL, of Bahamian descent. He lived and worked in Miami until his death in 2010. Celebrated at the museum and institutional level. His work is featursed in the collections of the Rubell Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Centre Pompidou, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Pérez Art Museum Miami, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, among others.
