King of Hearts (2020) – 29.7 cm x 21 cm – Acrylic paints on white paper
This is my tribute to the late Tupac Shakur.
Tupac’s music influenced and inspired me greatly as a teenager in the 90s. Growing up in a small town would have been world’s apart from Tupac’s life, but something about his words appealed to me. I must have sensed his sensitive side underneath the tough exterior that he needed to survive.
I have been experimenting with stencil-style paintings and as I was creating this piece, I created a mirror image of Tupac and then into a King of Hearts playing card. Keeping the colours primary it gives a simple elegance that playing cards tend to have. Less is more.
…and of course, Tupac was the King of many people’s hearts, an inspiration to many people all over the world.