“I layered acrylic paint on the sculptural form, addressing both the scrutiny and the pride his ascendancy has brought forth. President Obama is wearing the ‘mask’ because I see him as genuinely brown beneath his outer brown self. Of course he is American and not limited, but being sure of who he is makes him a powerful force.”

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Joyce Owens is an artist, professor and curator.She earned her BFA at Howard University and her MFA in painting at Yale University. Her work has been selected for exhibitions on four continents: Africa, South America, Europe and North America.

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A Professor of Painting and Drawing at Chicago State University, Ms. Owens is a recognized arts panelist who has also developed discussion topics for galleries in Chicago, at Columbia College, The Department of Cultural Affairs, The School of the Art Institute and the The DuSable Museum.