Boy, Oval Frame, Zebra

7" x 7"

Vintage paper and photos from the early 1900's

Title: Boy, Oval Frame, Zebra

This compelling mixed-media collage presents a visual conversation between the formality of historical portraiture and contemporary, playful abstraction. The central image is a sepia-toned photograph of a young boy, captured in a resolute pose with crossed arms, housed within a traditional embossed oval frame.

The subject's identity is playfully yet decisively obscured by a horizontal smear of cyan, magenta, and yellow paint across his eyes—a signature technique that explores the tension between anonymity and the desire to preserve the past. The dark frame is enhanced by aggressive, expressive drips and smears of bright neon pink and purple acrylic paint along the left side, introducing dynamic movement and texture. A small, white plastic zebra figure is collaged near the bottom left, adding a whimsical, surreal, and modern touch that directly contrasts with the gravity of the antique portrait.

This work is an excellent choice for collectors who appreciate pieces that merge historical documentation with bold, colorful, and unexpected artistic interventions.

• Medium: Mixed-Media Collage (Antique Framed Photograph, Acrylic Paint, Found Object/Zebra, Ephemera)

• Themes: Childhood Portraiture, Abstract Intervention, Surrealism, Anonymity

• Key Visuals: Oval-Framed Boy, Neon Paint Drips, White Plastic Zebra