I can see you all with the lights off and shades drawn.

Four Door Lexus

David Leggett

This painting features Homey D Clown. Homey was created by Damon Wayans and partly based on Paul Mooney for the TV show In Living Color. Mooney is a comedian/writer and wrote for Richard Pryor. Both comedians dealt with race in their comedy. Homey is an ex-con who agrees to work as a children’s clown as part of his parole. Homey often sees himself a victim of the criminal system and talks about “The Man” to the children he was sent to be a clown for at birthday parties. Leading the children in a call and response sing-along at the end of each sketch calling out injustice. The painting features a found photo and the text, “I am the night, color me black”. The text comes from an episode of the Twilight Zone from the 1960’s by the same text. In the episode, there is to be an execution in front of the townspeople. The sky is black even though it is morning in the town. There is a black priest that gives a speech about hate in front of the townspeople after the execution is carried out. After the execution, the sky becomes even blacker, and you hear over the radio how the dark sky is forming over different cities across the world. Hate is driving the light out across the world. I’m linking Homey with these things.

I can see you all with the lights off and shades drawn, 2021
acrylic and collage on canvas
60 x 60 in 152.4 x 152.4 cm