THE AMAZING BLACK MAN Kumasi J.Barnett - Solo Exhibition May 21, 2022 – July 16, 2022 FREE | In-person at the Peale Thursdays-Fridays: 3-7pm Saturdays-Sundays: 10-4pm COVID protocols are in place when visiting the Peale The Peale is thrilled to present THE AMAZING BLACK MAN, a groundbreaking exhibition by Baltimore-based artist Kumasi J. Barnett, curated by Jeffrey Kent, the Peale’s Chief Curator, and represented by L.A-based gallery Lowell Ryan Projects. With inspiration from classic comics like The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Superman, Daredevil and Captain America, this important exhibition features exuberant, hand-painted comic book covers. Each cover is actually painted over top of an older Marvel or DC comic book, replacing the heroes of yesteryear with new, contemporary characters such as “The Amazing Black-Man,” “The Media’s Thug,” “Whitedevil,” and “Police-Man.” Other changes to traditional characters are also evident: Spiderman’s red and blue bodysuit turns into a hoodie and jeans; Superman’s logo becomes the stars and bars of the Confederate flag, and in Kumasi’s work, the supernatural, extraterrestrial world villains are more earthly; they are the police. “By addressing real world issues through a superhuman genre, Barnett’s work dissolves the disconnect between contemporary American narratives and the reality of ‘justice,’ making us reexamine cultural conceptions surrounding the Good versus Evil paradigm.” (Excerpted from Lowell Ryan Projects). “When I was introduced to Baltimore-based artist Kumasi Barnett’s artwork in New York at the Armory Show in 2019, I was blown away by the content editing and visual editing process. So much that I felt very fortunate to have an opportunity to exhibit his artwork at the Peale.” —Jeffrey Kent, Chief Curator, the Peale #theamazingblackman #racistcomics #thepealecenter #baltimoreartist #blackheroesmatter #comics #contemporaryart #diversitymatters #lowellryanprojects (at Lowell Ryan Projects) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdwc_UGv2Ff/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=