A painting of blues musician Lead Belly's mug shot. On the back of the painting Tommy Cheng writes a description of Huddie Ledbetter's three criminal charges and writes "he sang himself out of prison."

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: Paint on plywood

TC-#45