Portrait of a man reaching out to shake someone's hand. Next to him his wife stares out distractedly, her hand cradling her face. This painting is constructed out of two smaller boards attached with a hinge, meaning the painting can be folded down the middle—an inventively modern construction.

Tommy Cheng is a contemporary outsider and folk artist who lives and paints in Washington Heights. His unique style of portraiture has attracted gallery shows in New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Atlanta, and Paris. Cheng's portraits are inspired by pop culture and celebrities. With its wide open eyes, deceivingly expressive faces, and modernly flat construction a Cheng portrait is instantly identifiable.

Artist: Tommy Cheng

Material: Acrylic on plywood

TC-#85