RETNA (born Marquis Lewis in 1979, Los Angeles, California) is a contemporary American artist renowned for his distinctive script-like calligraphy that fuses ancient traditions with modern urban expression. Rising from the graffiti and street art scene of L.A. in the 1990s, RETNA has since evolved into a globally recognized visual artist whose work bridges cultures, languages, and disciplines.
RETNA's signature style draws from a wide spectrum of typographic and calligraphic traditions. His unique alphabetic system—at once cryptic and rhythmic—incorporates elements of Arabic, Hebrew, Asian calligraphy, Gothic lettering, Old English scripts, and even Incan and Egyptian hieroglyphics. The result is a highly stylized visual language that is not immediately legible but deeply evocative, functioning both as text and abstract form. RETNA uses this hybrid script as a tool for visual storytelling, spirituality, protest, and poetic expression.
Growing up in a multicultural environment in Los Angeles, RETNA began tagging walls under various aliases before adopting his now-famous moniker, inspired by a lyric in a Wu-Tang Clan song. His early work gained prominence as part of the graffiti crew MSK (Mad Society Kings) and the art collective The Seventh Letter. Over time, he transitioned from the street to galleries and major public spaces, bringing with him the raw energy and social commentary of graffiti while refining his aesthetic through formal studio practice.
RETNA’s work transcends the boundaries of graffiti, painting, and design. He works across media—canvas, sculpture, photography, installation, and large-scale murals. His layered surfaces, often painted in a monochromatic or metallic palette, carry a sense of sacred geometry and ritual. Whether scrawled across urban buildings or presented in formal exhibitions, RETNA's inscriptions invite contemplation on language, identity, and power.
His art has been exhibited in prestigious institutions and galleries worldwide, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Art Show, and major solo shows in London, New York, and Hong Kong. RETNA has also collaborated with high-profile figures and brands, including Louis Vuitton, Nike, and musician Justin Bieber, for whom he designed an album cover. Despite commercial recognition, RETNA remains deeply committed to his roots in graffiti culture and social consciousness.
What sets RETNA apart is his ability to create work that resonates on both aesthetic and symbolic levels. His language—though invented—is instantly recognizable and emotionally charged. Viewers often describe his work as meditative, sacred, or architectural. Through it, RETNA invites the audience into a dialogue that transcends literal meaning and speaks to a deeper, more universal human rhythm.
Today, RETNA continues to produce monumental works that challenge the conventions of text, abstraction, and space. With his blend of street sensibility, historical reverence, and conceptual rigor, RETNA has secured his place as a vital figure in contemporary art—one whose voice remains as enigmatic and powerful as the script he has made his own.
