S02E02 - A Conversation with Jesse Kantu

Jesse Kantu, based in Houston, Texas, commands a distinctive presence in the world of contemporary art. His path is one that combines rigorous training with personal reflection, allowing him to create works that resonate on multiple levels. After graduating from the University of Houston in 2006 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture and a minor in Art History, Kantu expanded his practice by pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Painting from Houston Baptist University in 2015. These academic experiences, combined with years of exploration, helped him develop an artistic language centered on the complexities of human experience. Kantu engages with themes that bridge the universal and the specific, often examining how people live, feel, and struggle across different cultures. His art is not merely visual—it’s a vessel for empathy, self-examination, and truth, carrying questions about what it means to exist in this world today.