Abraham Obama Options

[brooklyneast05]

Ronnie gets close with his “Abraham Obama” installation in his New Jersey loft in preperation for the opening of the Jersey City studio tour on Oct 3rd

“Abraham Obama” is an artwork by Ron English. It is a image that blends the face of the presumptive unofficial Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama with the icon, bearded visage of Abraham Lincoln. The effect is subtle. At first glance, the image appears to simply be a portrait of Abraham Linclon. Then the viewer registers an oddity within the image, an imperfection which is a substitution. The eyes and facial structure of Obama seems to grow out of the icon of Lincoln.

What “Abraham Obama” is is an open question.

The second coming. An imposter. A radical in Republican clothing.

Bipartisan. Multiracial. Forward-thinking but old-fashioned.

A uniter. A divider. A non-Decider.

The next President of the United States. Or a piece of pop art?

That dialog, between art, politics, and individuals, is what artist Ron English has said the work is really all about.