Harlem-born artist Kip Omolade created paintings of Kitty Cash which is a series of self-portrait representing Times Square itself as a portrait. It is his tribute to the tenacity, creativity and ever-changing face of New York.

One of his renowned series of portraits, entitled “Diovadiova Chrome Kitty Cash V”, historically link to ancient, realistic African sculptures such as Benin ivory masks and Ife broze heads. 

“The oil paintings are psychological studies that investigate immortality, the universal masks we all wear and contemporary notions of beauty and luxury. The labor-intensive process involves making a mold and cast of each model’s face, reworking the cast plaster sculpture, producing a version in resin and adding a chrome layer with artificial eyelashes. The final sculpture then serves as a model for the hyper-realistic oil painting. This technique maintains the likeness qualities of portraiture while re-presenting a mask that serves as a conduit between the spiritual and natural world”, read juxtapoz.

You can see more on his website and juxtapoz