HERO. MICHEL. HENDRIX.

A primary portrait of guitar legend, Jimi Hendrix. The overall portrait references 24 often overlooked African American heroes from history, science and pop culture and is a homage to artist Jean Michel Basquiat. Without Basquiat there would be no Banksy. The synthesis of content/visual data results in the new icon: HERO MICHEL HENDRIX. HERO Although googling “Hero” yields 1000’s of examples and I believe that their no longer exists a hierarchy in the idea, definition or example of “Hero”, I do believe that there is value in identifying and celebrating “Hero” iconography within a particular community, profession, philosophy or any group who’s history and story can be better understood by identifying its game changers. For this particular piece I chose 24 African American Heroes from history ,science and pop culture. They include: Duke Ellington, August Wilson, Gordon Parks, Frederick Douglass, Maya Angelou, W.E.B Du Bois, Harriet Tubman, Toni Morrison, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones,