A New American Negro (2018)
Private Art Showing—St. Cloud, MN 8-12-2018
The term “new Negro” has been used since the early 1900’s to denote a shift in the attitudes of Black men and women into an organized, vocal group that would challenge Jim Crow, Segregation, and other forms of disenfranchisement.
For all the victories and progress made within the last 100 years, today the Negro finds himself as untrusted, poorly educated, and over-represented in the U.S. Prison system.
Each image, titled a “track” is an abrasive and unflinching commentary on today’s Black youth. Predominately black-and-white by choice, the lack of color forces the viewer to confront the violent imagery daring to leap off the paper. Tight, controlled linework draws the eye inward, leading the eye deeper into the work, subtlety be damned.
Track I (intro). The Atomic Negro
Track II. The Misguided Negro
Track III. The Disillusioned Negro
Track IV. The Self-Destructive Negro
Track V. The End of the Negro? (2021 Remix)
Having graduated a few months prior to this showing, A New American Negro was a collection of (at the time) my most socially-conscious artwork. From a technical standpoint, at the time it was my most sophisticated work. The message was too blunt, however. With little room for interpretation, the art speaks at rather than with you.
Black and white artwork of a person with exaggerated facial features wearing a uniform with a name tag that reads "Burger World Shift Lead." The person has large eyes, is smoking a cigarette, and is surrounded by various objects including a gun, a hand with a finger pointing, and abstract elements.
Black and white illustration of a woman's face with her eyes closed, with various figures and symbols intertwined in her hair, including a woman with a beanie, a woman with glasses, a stop sign, a traffic light, and a hand holding a gun. The man's face is at the bottom of the image.
Black and white illustration of a muscular humanoid lion holding a snake in one hand and a smartphone in the other, with a bus labeled "Fort Snelling" in the background.
Black and white illustration depicting a space-themed scene with a large bold text 'SPACE RACE'. There are characters fighting with a guitar and a sword, and others in confrontational poses. The background includes a moon, a sun, planets, and a spaceship, along with signs that read 'DANGER' and 'KEEP THEM OUT.' The scene combines science fiction, rock music, and action elements.