Painting description

These examples of the Panther Series continue an older body of work dependant upon cross referenced found images and drawings. The current incarnations of paired black men are contained by the vertical perimeters of the panels so that they stand on the bottom edge of the panel as if were an Egyptian register. Typically one of the pair is from the seventies and wears a black turtleneck, afro, and flared pants. The other figure comes from the future previously seen on the Star Trek television franchise. They stand back to back with guns or phasers in positions that emphasizes the space in between them ,their contrasting physiques, and a central horizontal line made by their shooting gestures that crosses the figures. These represent an afro centric worldview, references to self-defense, and martyrdom.

Description of drawings

These comic-like, ink drawings of black men cavort on the page.The background of wood grain patterned paper provides a simple, yet active ground and is overlayed by a fly-blown ink dot pattern that further activates the background. Occasionally the figures will interact with the side of the page as if it was a wall. They are contained.The black men stand on the bottom edge as if it was an Egyptian register. The first four idealized drawings of seventies studs resemble earlier incarnations of my Black Panther Series, while the last four represent how I imagine panthers have aged with time. The panthers respond to bubble-like selections from my collection of found images (snapshots, advertisements, educational texts, novel covers, brochures, and other ephemera) of social interactions. Many show patterns of representation, while others are possible abberations. They often represent different decades. They are my attempt to prompt the viewer to see as I see.