WHY BE RACIST, SEXIST, HOMOPHOBIC OR TRANSPHOBIC WHEN U COULD JUST BE QUIET?
Graphite, White Charcoal, White Ink, (2019)
In a repressive society where thinking is close-minded and oppressive, I have chosen to show my skills drawing realism in this portrait of the artist, Frank Ocean, wearing a shirt depicting the words "WHY BE RACIST, SEXIST, HOMOPHOBIC OR TRANSPHOBIC WHEN U COULD JUST BE QUIET?" in simple lettering. The queer icon uses his platform to voice his opinion and raise awareness about social justice issues by wearing this shirt during his performances. With the use of white charcoal, graphite, and white ink, I drew this image of him based on a photograph from a powerful performance in which he wore this shirt. I specifically chose an image of him from the side as the message of the shirt is not as legible due to the folds, thus making only certain words like “WHY BE RACIST” and “QUIET” stand out making the message of the entire piece more subtle.