Allusions are key ways that visual artists indicate key images that have inspired them or that have caught their attention. Artist Keith Knight frequently employs allusions, and perhaps we can say, he employs illustrated allusions as a way of recalling and remixing iconic images.
On the cover of his book Fear of A Black Marker (2000), Knight channels the Black Panther Party, and in particular, the iconic image of Huey P. Newton holding a gun and spear. Knight alludes to the image and creatively readjusts by giving his character a marker and pencil. The book's title alludes to Public Enemy's rap album Fear of a Black Planet (1990).
Taken together, Knight's book cover playfully alludes to important texts in black political and musical history.
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Keith fans: Will you help support his true graphic novel, "I Was A Teenage Michael Jackson Impersonator!"? Learn more by going to his Kickstarter page. Hurry, your chance ends at 3 pm EST on April 6, 2012!
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