Details:
① Artwork:
America vs. America #61, The world’s greatest hypocrites are back
This acrylic, marker, pen, and oil marker artwork—displayed in a clear plastic sleeve like comic books in a comic shop—was painted over the cover of a Justice League comic. In the traditional style of comic book lettering, “The ALL-NEW USA—PAWNS of the UNITED STATES!” advertises the theme of this issue, and the Justice League logo has been altered to read “America Versus America.”
Satirically commenting on the divisive state of American politics, Superman sits at the head of the table as the leaders of a political organization plot their next moves on a chessboard, complete with figurines of themselves.
Kumasi J. Barnett’s art subverts and imbues the often timeless genre of old comic books with historical awareness and present-day social consciousness. Barnett frequently changes their narratives to reflect current events and critique social and political issues, such as police brutality, systemic racism, fake news, and the machinations of our political system.
Specs:
③ Artist:
Influenced by the aesthetics and narratives of old comic books, Kumasi J. Barnett’s art subverts and imbues this often timeless genre with historical awareness and present-day social consciousness. Barnett frequently paints directly over copies of comic books, changing their narratives to reflect current events and critique social and political issues, such as police brutality, systemic racism, fake news, and the machinations of our political system.
Kumasi J. Barnett was born in 1974 in Baltimore, MD, where he currently lives and works. He received his MFA from The Ohio State University.
His artworks have been exhibited at Lowell Ryan Projects, Los Angeles, CA; The Peale, Baltimore, MD; the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, Cape Town, South Africa; The Boca Raton Museum of Art, Boca Raton, FL; and elsewhere.
Barnett presented a solo booth with Lowell Ryan Projects at The Armory Show (2020) in the Focus section, curated by Jamillah James. His work has been featured in Artforum, Ammo, Vibe, Hyperallergic, Huffington Post, Autre, Artnet News, and The Guardian, among others.
This acrylic, marker, pen, and oil marker artwork—displayed in a clear plastic sleeve like comic books in a comic shop—was painted over the cover of a "Justice League" comic. In the traditional style of comic book lettering, “The ALL-NEW USA—PAWNS of the UNITED STATES!” advertises the theme of this issue, and the Justice League logo has been altered to read “America Versus America.”More
- Unframed
