Like most minorities who come from underserved communities, Richard Parker had an uneasy time navigating the year 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, it was a time where ‘silence is agreeance’ took on a whole new meaning. If one’s peers weren’t speaking out against injustices, it was safe to assume they could care less about them. The tension that plagued the year could be cut with a knife.

As the world came to a halt due to covid, and the mass media consistently displayed images of those who were slain due to systemic brutality, Richard began to comprehend why it was so easy for officers, conservatives, or the non-colored majority to resemble an enemy - it was the depiction that was painted and projected daily. “Imagine That” is about the impact mass media and their portrayals can have on one’s mindset and consciousness.

Like Parker’s earlier collections, this body of artwork is not only designed to capture the eye, but provoke one’s thoughts. Though self esteem can be based on how one views themselves, how the world views them also plays a major role. The pieces presented in “Imagine That” embody freedom of speech and a juxtaposed thought. They are designed to submerge a viewer into a world that if reality, would change the psyche of the American man, woman, and child. The iconic scenes and scenarios that are replicated in this collection are curated to play on the reversal of the stereotypes and historical facts of race. What if the roles were reversed? How would you view others, how would you view yourself?

SELECT PIECES FROM THE COLLECTION THAT ARE FOR SALE