Radical Press: Print Shop
About the Work
The new art collection examines the rich history of the Black Panther Party through an exploration of their official newspaper, known as The Black Panther (newspaper), also called The Black Panther Intercommunal News Service. Through this archive, the collection highlights both the triumphs and tragedies of the Black Panther Party, capturing their revolutionary spirit, community activism, and the powerful voices that shaped their fight for justice and liberation. Each piece of art serves as a visual narrative, paying homage to the resilience and legacy of the movement, while reflecting on the broader struggles of the Black community during this pivotal era in American history.
About the Artist
RICARDO COOK WAS BORN IN 1986 IN SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND, A SUBURB OF WASHINGTON, DC. MY JOURNEY WITH ART BEGAN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN MY FATHER INTRODUCED ME TO THE FUNDAMENTALS OF DRAWING. SINCE THEN, I HAVE EXPLORED A VARIETY OF ARTISTIC MEDIUMS, WHICH EVENTUALLY LED TO MY INTEREST IN AUDIO ENGINEERING, COMPOSITION, AND MUSIC PRODUCTION. THROUGHOUT MY PURSUIT OF BECOMING AN AUDIO ENGINEER, COMPOSER, AND PRODUCER, I CREATED NUMEROUS AUDIO WORKS, BUT I DISCOVERED MY PRIMARY INSPIRATION LIES IN CONCEPTUALISM. IT WAS THROUGH CONCEPTUAL ART THAT I REALIZED MY TRUE CALLING.
I BELIEVE THAT BEING AN ARTIST IS INNATE, THOUGH ONE CAN ALSO BE REBORN INTO IT. PASSION FOR ART TRANSFORMS YOU INTO AN ALCHEMIST, TURNING CREATIVITY INTO SOMETHING MAGICAL. MY VISUAL ART EDUCATION HAS BEEN DEEPLY INFLUENCED BY THE WORKS OF JOSEPH BEUYS, AI WEIWEI, ANDY WARHOL, CY TWOMBLY, AND JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT. THESE EARLY MASTERS EXPANDED MY UNDERSTANDING OF CONCEPTUAL AND INSTALLATION ART, AND MY LIST OF INFLUENCES CONTINUES TO GROW.
IN ADDITION TO MY PERSONAL ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS, I FOUNDED AOFG STUDIO LLC, A CREATIVE STUDIO WHERE I COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ARTISTS AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE PROJECTS. MY VIRTUAL HEADQUARTERS, A-OF-G.COM, ALLOWS ME TO WORK FROM ANYWHERE WHILE ENSURING MY ARTWORK AND PROJECTS ALWAYS HAVE A PLATFORM TO LAUNCH FROM.