Literary Seminar

exterior design

Immersive, large-scale sets for the annual Key West Literary Seminar, transforming event spaces through theatrical environments, custom installations, and visual storytelling.

Stage with classical Greek-inspired artwork backdrop, columns, and sculptures, hosting a woman seated in a white armchair, a man standing behind a podium, and audience seated in rows outdoors.
Two smiling men sitting on a yellow bench, with a backdrop of banners and plants.
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Project details

Marky Pierson’s art direction serves as a physical extension of the festival’s written and oral storytelling with these custom, large-scale designs. Drawing from his architectural and theatrical background, Pierson transforms blank stages and historic venues into immersive environments rich with mood, character, and local mythology—creating vibrant, art-driven spaces that reflect the eccentric, adventurous, and deeply creative spirit of Key West.

Logo for Key West Literary Seminar featuring a stylized black flying bird with a long beak.

Explore Project Galleries

2024 theme
“Florida: the state we’re in”

Stage decorated with banners and tropical plants for a literary seminar, with a speaker at the podium and purple lighting.
Large audience sitting on chairs under a tent at night, attending an event with purple and yellow lighting, with a dome-shaped structure in the background.
Two women sitting on a yellow curb in front of a stage with a jungle-themed backdrop, smiling and posing with arms raised.
Decorative display with cutout art of a bird making a 'rock on' hand gesture, surrounded by green plants and tropical themed background
An outdoor event stage set up with seating in front, a large white screen with tropical plants and trees behind it, and a cartoon of a dragon on the lower left. The stage has a modern design with a circular, layered rooftop structure and a side panel
A man speaking at a podium on a stage decorated with banners featuring text and graphics, surrounded by plants and purple lighting.
Indoor stage with banners, chairs in front, and stage lighting equipment at a conference or event.
Illustrated sign for Everglades National Park featuring stylized trees, water, and wildlife in vibrant colors.
Stylized artistic illustration of a woman's face, with birds flying on the right side and textured background.
Illustration of a sunset over a swamp with flamingos in the water, tall palm trees, mountains in the background, and birds flying in the sky.
A landscape of a grassy field with palm-like plants in the foreground, tall sparse trees in the middle ground, and a cloudy sky overhead.

2023 theme
“singing america”

A colorful illustration of multiple diverse people's faces with various skin tones, hairstyles, and facial features, set against a patterned background.
Rendering of an outdoor stage for a cultural event, with a large digital screen featuring artwork of diverse faces, and banners reading "A Celebration of Black Literary Culture" and "Sing Sing American." Surrounding the stage are chairs and people wa
Sign for the Singing Cannabis Awards featuring a black and orange dragonfly and green cannabis leaves.
Stand-up podium with a Black Lives Matter poster, featuring large dove mascot, the word 'SING' repeatedly printed, and two fan illustrations.
An outdoor amphitheater with a large screen and backdrop displaying pop art portraits of women. The stage has a sign that reads 'SINGING AMERICA' and features yellow chairs and a brown couch. There are some people walking and sitting in the audience

2022 theme
“Desire”

A woman standing at a pink podium, reading or speaking into a microphone, with a colorful backdrop featuring classical Greek artwork, a pink statue of a mythological figure, and white chairs in the foreground.
An outdoor event near the coastline with white tents and people, featuring a stage, surrounded by palm trees and greenery, with the ocean and cloudy sky in the background.
Two people seated on stage, a woman in a red dress and a man in black, engaged in conversation during an event. The backdrop features a large ancient Greek-style mural with mythological figures, a winged horse, and a large pink sculpture of a seated
Two men sitting and chatting on a stage with a decorative backdrop. The stage features pink rocks and an artistic backdrop with mythological figures and patterns, and stage lights are mounted above.
A digital rendering of an event booth for a literary seminar, featuring pink and black decor, stylized illustrations of mythological figures, hanging paper lanterns, and banners with the Semár Name Desire theme and details about the Key West Literary
Ancient Greek-style pink painted scene on a black background featuring mythological figures, gods, and creatures.