A Few of My Favorites

The first book on the New York painter's eclectic iconography of jazz musicians, boxers and friends

With bright patches of acrylic paint and carefully placed found ephemera, New York-based artist Armando Alleyne's (born 1959) multimedia portraits are immediately eye-catching, drawing viewers in to inspect and appreciate the layers of meaning collaged on top of one another. Alleyne's renditions of jazz musicians, Afro-Latino singers, and his own family members and acquaintances are rife with color and contemporary iconography as well as references to the artist's own life. Series such as Shelter Blues reflect on Alleyne's experiences of homelessness, while Maria's Song pays homage to his late sister through a pantheon of religious imagery. This volume is the first book on Alleyne, highlighting a lifetime of work alongside snapshots and personal anecdotes.