The echoes of dissolution and a time of well-waged struggles are always a thought of the past, and often seep into the commotions of today. As the last generation of those who lived through the events of the 1900s vanish, those who sought the freedoms in its wake see a modern legacy still at odds battling to get their representation valued. A back-and-forth of ideals, realities of contemporary life, and political misgivings all lead to repetitions of the past, and a way to seek a new future forward.

Artist Milton Bowens purses these ideals through reclamations of generational pillars, formed through the everyday lenses of magazine covers. A simplified object of community connection and integration, and whose pages and stylings brought together a populace separated on purpose by modern conventions. It is the mixture of media and translation that carries over into the works, such as Negro digest - Jack the darker brother, whose homage to Jack Johnson is surrounded by the relevant words of poetry both written and musical.

The iconic portrayals through these magazine covers are of this sought after unification of ideals and of a life seen beyond the throes of a revolution, and worth the journey to reach. The American Dream for many has always been a battle worth fighting for, and the preservation of that ideal resonates within Bowens’ work.