Executed using hand-cut stencils and spray paint on canvas, this 2012 work from Joss Parker titled 'Al-Qaeda' combines his street art perspective with contemporary Pop imagery. Contrasting the serious against the playful, Parker transposes a graphic image of a masked Al-Qaeda man brandishing an assault rifle, against a bright array of pink and purple camouflage.

Joss Parker is a contemporary artist based in Columbus, Ohio. Born in Santa Cruz, California on New Year's Day 1979, Parker is part of the “new breed” of artists, such as: KAWS, Banksy, Shepard Fairey, and Mr. Brainwash, dedicated to celebrating the ongoing evolution of contemporary culture through the use of “popular” imagery often derived from commercial advertising, cartoons and comics.

Growing up in the 1980s, Parker was influenced by such “Pop” Masters as Andy Warhol, and younger artists working in a “Pop” idiom like Keith Haring & Kenny Scharf. But he also found inspiration in the emerging “Graffiti” and “Urban” movements of the day. This is clearly evident in his use of enamel spray paint and stencils and his strong commitment to “Urban” and “Street” Art.

Parker studied Painting at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and subsequently traveled the country developing his stencil technique and his unique aesthetic philosophy. Over the past several years, Parker has participated in numerous Solo and Group Exhibitions in galleries in New York City, NY; Chicago, IL; Las Vegas, NV; Cleveland and Columbus, OH; Charleston, SC; & Vancouver B.C.; and is represented in myriad private collections throughout the country.