Fahamu Pecou - “UnAmerican Idol”, 2009

Edward M. Garnes Jr,  founder of From Afros To Shelltoes and 2009 Atlanta Tribune Men Of Distinction, is featured in world renown artist Fahamu Pecou’s latest solo exhibition entitled Blak Presidential debuting at VOLTA 5,  a cutting edge art fair taking place during Basel’s Art Week (Basel, Switzerland) in the historic Markthalle, one of Europe’s largest cupola structures from June 8-13, 2009.

Blak Presidential takes cues from American culture and the nation’s obsession with President Obama and his wife Michelle Obama. Garnes appears in Pecou’s painting “UnAmerican Idol” as a secret service agent. Much has been made of the notion that the Obamas have redefined and reshaped the image of black Americans. In this painting series, Pecou’s alter ego takes on the role of the Black President and challenges the associations made with the Obamas as well as the stereotypes which have evolved around Black Americans in popular culture today.
 
For Garnes, being immortalized in a Pecou painting has deep historic implications. “Obama has opened the door for black men to be viewed as human beings with unique talents as opposed to one dimensional characters assailed in the media.  Pecou builds on these historic times featuring fellow artists in an exhibition reframing black identity while at the same time rewriting art history.”
 
Besides co starring in Blak Presidential, Garnes’ essay “Betcha You Can’t Do It Like Me: How Fahamu Pecou Got Us To Drink His Red Kool Aid” is featured in Pecou’s internationally acclaimed art catalogue FAHAMENON
(http://www.fahamupecouart.com/FAHAMENON).

For more information on Fahamu Pecou, visit  http://www.fahamupecouart.com. Get all the info on Volta 5 http://voltashow.com/Home.2772.0.html

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