Ricky Day

I believe that self is a performance and that notions of self are developed in direct relationship to the images and information provided to us via the media, religion & our respective peer groups and families. I am interested in exploring and examining the power of fine art, faith, pop culture, marketing and technology to inform the development of that performance. The images presented here are from my on-going portrait series which I began in 2012 called All Black Kings Go To Heaven. The original goal of the series was to present portraits of African American men in settings reminiscent of advertisements for lifestyle brands like Ralph Lauren and Abercrombie & Fitch to cause the viewer to rethink notions of what it means to be black in America and what people actually mean when statements are uttered like "He looks so all-American." This was inspired by a visit to an Abercrombie & Fitch store and my appreciation for the beautiful images used to sell their products and the lifestyle the represented and my frustration with the erasure of people of color and black men in particular from the conversation. I remain proud of the work presented here and it remains a part of my legacy, but the new images currently in production jettison completely any adoration of the oppressive manifestation of the so-called American dream. Self IS A PERFORMANCE and as such my work will continue to examine how the media has used imagery and storytelling to condition people to view marginalized groups with suspicion and contempt, while upholding false notions of the superiority of one racial group over another. We are ALL God's creation and as such we are ALL worthy of love, respect, and adoration. We all fall short, but with love, grace, and a commitment to being our authentic selves perhaps we can ALL go to heaven. All Black Kings Go To Heaven: Cykeem 30" x 20" digital C-print All Black Kings Go To Heaven:Minkah and Scott 30" x 20" digital C-print All Black Kings Go To Heaven: Blur Team 30" x 20" digital C-print