Kal-El Carey

Kal-El Carey is an African American trans man currently incarcerated in a women’s state prison in Pennsylvania. A self-taught fine artist, Carey is the creator of a distinctive visual language he calls Urban Abstract Surrealism, a style that blends symbolic narrative, bold color, and emotionally charged abstraction. He is also the founder of a trademarked artistic brand and concept known as Z-Coded.

The term "Z-coded" originates from a medical and mental health classification used within the prison system to designate inmates deemed too dangerous or mentally unstable to be housed with others. Carey reclaims this term as an emblem of creative resistance. Within his framework, Z-Coding is the act of transforming what society deems "normal" into something different, visionary, and beautiful. His art insists that difference is not a deficit but a form of sacred innovation.

Carey has been Z-Coding for over four years. He primarily works in fluid acrylics but uses a wide range of mixed media depending on his emotional state and inspiration—oil, watercolor, canvas, paper, and even clothing. His creative process is deeply shaped by music, and each of his paintings is linked to a specific playlist. He envisions a future in which he can exhibit his work accompanied by the soundtracks that gave rise to each piece, allowing audiences to experience the full sensory context of his process.

Despite the many challenges of creating art while incarcerated—including limited access to materials, isolation, and the absence of professional networks—Carey continues to build his portfolio and artistic identity. He has exhibited work through Let’s Get Free and was one of ten incarcerated artists featured in the catalog book for the 58th International Exhibition at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. His artwork is also represented in the Blue Steel Art Gallery in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.

Carey is actively seeking connection, guidance, and representation in the wider African American and LGBTQ+ arts communities. His work stands as a testament to the transformative power of creativity, even within systems designed to suppress it.