No Public Enemy 2021

Editor: We're looking at "No Public Enemy," a 2021 mixed-media piece by Kayla Mahaffey. It's definitely eye-catching with this really unique character illustration...almost feels like a caricature. What strikes me is how she combines this lifelike portrait with cartoonish, graffiti-like elements. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, looking at the mixed media approach, it’s vital to consider Mahaffey’s process. The combination of acrylic paint and what appears to be digital illustration, or at least digitally-inspired linework, speaks volumes about contemporary production. Note, how she deliberately plays with the textures – the smoothness of the "gumball machine" head versus the rougher edges of the graffiti elements. Editor: So, the choice of materials contributes to the message? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the gumball head. Gumballs are manufactured objects; commodities produced through specific economic and social systems, suggesting commodification and consumption within Black youth culture. Furthermore, the cartoonish graffiti points towards a visual language adopted from street art – traditionally made from marginalized and disempowered groups using whatever materials are available. Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered the individual materials so closely, but now I can see how each choice reflects a particular mode of production and social space. It is pop surrealism in conversation with graffiti culture and illustration art, where commodified subject meets "street" aesthetics! Curator: Precisely. It reminds us to analyze not only the image, but how it’s made and what those methods of production reveal about society. Material is as important as concept here! Editor: This really highlights how important it is to think about materials beyond just aesthetics. Thanks!