Simon Fujiwara Who’s Identity Belongs to Who? (Red State), 2022

Executed in acrylic, pastel and charcoal on canvas, Who’s Identity Belongs to Who? (Red State) is from Simon Fujiwara's series of works recreating iconic art works by famous, historically significant artists through the perspective of his cartoon figure Who the Bær.

Who’s Identity Belongs to Who? (Red State) combines the likeness of Simon Fujiwara’s cartoon character Who the Bær with stylistic elements from the oeuvre of Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988).

For this work on canvas, Fujiwara seems to be influenced by the work Red Skull, 1982. There are multiple recurring motifs, characteristic of Basquiat’s painting practice- amongst them the vivid color palette, the rendering of the form, the crown on top of the figure’s head, and the words scattered around the canvas. The skull depicted in Basquiat’s work is replaced in Fujiwara’s composition by Who the Bear, surrounded by a red aura as they are looking at their extended hand. Words and sentences related to Who’s identity search surround the figure.

Basquiat questioned conventions of Western history present in canonical works of visual art, for example, by depicting black men as saints, kings and warriors. In emphasizing the plight and struggles of people of color, the artist also asserted both his own claim for greatness as well as the majesty of his influences and heroes, including black artists, writers, groundbreaking athletes, and musicians who he depicted as powerful, imposing figures.