In his intricate paintings, Umar Rashid (Frohawk Two Feathers) re-imagines 18th century colonial history, conjuring a fictional cast of subjects within his own original on-going narrative that includes a rebel fighting force of freed slaves, militiamen, dikes, lords, and tribesmen. Two Feathers paints ink and acrylic scenes onto coffee and tea stained paper, detailing colniel uprisings against the imaginary superpowers Frengland and Fenoscandia. His images contain a mashup of historical and cultural references combining elements of 18th and 19th century colonel portraiture and folk art with visual signifiers of contemporary urban culture, including jewelry and body art associated with present-day gangsters and hipsters. Two Feathers wryly points to the instability of public histories and confronts issues of race, power, and greed.
