[36" x 48" CANVAS] + [7,633 THUMBTACKS]
Jay-z was the appropriate figure to break my typical medium of oil paint. After all the thumbtacks, this is what materialized: a piece illustrating the idea that every line unveils a glimpse into who Jay-z is. This collection of lines/points, like a collection of lyrics, comes together to create a clear picture of Shawn Carter, one of the best of all time.
It all began with Froot Loops. Seriously. I originally sat in my apt/studio looking for materials that had vibrant colors and considered cereal as my medium. Luckily I moved away from Toucan Sam when I found a mixed color pack of thumbtacks. That's when the search began for all the colors that I would need…in bulk. I quickly realized that "orange" was the holy grail of thumbtacks.
After a scavenger hunt in Staples, Office Deport, and Googling for hours I stumbled upon the treasure trove of thumbtacks, JAM PAPER. Shout out to my thumbtack hookup, Mike Jacobs, for the wide array of colors that made this all possible.
The last challenge was keeping the tacks in place on the canvas. The solution came when I bought ALL of the hardware store's expanding foam to spray the back of the canvas. The rest of the piece was tack-by-tack trial and error. Every 'pixel' was a lesson in spacing, light, and color to create the vision of Mr. Sean Carter.
Coincidentally underneath this piece is a failed portrait of my parents. After being frustrated, I painted over it in all black and left it in my canvas junkyard. When I needed a black canvas for this 'experiment', the discarded canvas was sitting there waiting for me. Personally I think it's perfect because underneath one of my more popular pieces are the smiling, proud faces of my parents.
Additionally I've always been drawn to using color to bring a certain level of energy to my work and the line from "Already" made it perfect to create a Warhol-esque piece:
"I'm in the hall already, on the wall already
I'm a work of art, I'm a Warhol already
On another level, on another plane already..."
Once the art was complete, naming it was the final challenge. Luckily one of my Twitter followers, Jason A. White, had the perfect suggestion, which ended up being the title, "The Tackover".
If you love this piece and want to see it, talk about it, or actually become a proud owner of "The Tackover" don't hesitate to CONTACT ME
I believe art should always be accessible. If you love this piece as much as I do there are other more affordable options including small prints, canvas prints, etc.. BROWSE THE SHOP
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Every talent needs to be nurtured. Every mind needs to be stimulated. Every child deserves a future. By supporting my artwork, you are also supporting kids in the Harlem community. When the original piece is purchased, I will donate 20% of the proceeds to Harlem School of the Arts.
If you want to support HSA directly, please donate here
Thanks for scrolling this far …but its not over. Check out the other pieces:
"The Electric Feel"
"Tacks on Tacks on Tacks"
"Wet Paint"
"It's All About the Benjamins"
