King of Hearts (2020) – 29.7 cm x 21 cm – Acrylic paints on white paper
Tupac’s music profoundly influenced and inspired me as a teenager in the 90s. Growing up in a small town was worlds apart from Tupac’s life, but something about his words resonated with me. I must have sensed his sensitive side beneath the tough exterior he needed to survive.
I have been experimenting with stencil-style paintings, and as I created this piece, I produced a mirror image of Tupac and then transformed it into a King of Hearts playing card. By maintaining primary colours, the artwork achieves a simple elegance characteristic of playing cards. Indeed, less is more.
Tupac reigned as the King of many people’s hearts, inspiring countless individuals worldwide.
This is my tribute to the late Tupac Shakur.
