Thompson Ron

My America Thompson Ron

The exhibit is influenced by the early 20th Century work of John Biggers, which birthed the My America title. As an African American artist in America, Ron felt compelled to expose cultural ignorance. Since the election of President Barack Obama, many now claim that we are living in a post-racial America, or a significantly more colorblind society. On the contrary, this is not true for Blacks who are still fighting for their humanity and civil rights. By combining pop culture imagery, satire, and the idea of "Double Consciousness," coined by W. E. B. Dubois, Ron is challenging today's so called post-racial America. The distortions expressed within Ron's work convey the friction, anger, and confusion that a dark body endures. The exhibit exclaims that there is a dire societal need for a resurgence of emphasis on the positive works and imagery of the black community.