Ron English is an American contemporary artist known for his subversive and satirical art that critiques consumerism, advertising, and popular culture. Born in 1959 in Decatur, Illinois, English studied at the University of Texas in Austin before moving to New York City in the 1980s to pursue a career in art. English's work often employs a pop-surrealist style, blending elements of traditional fine art with commercial art, such as cartoon characters and advertising imagery. He is particularly known for his use of mash-ups, in which he combines two or more images or characters from different contexts to create a new, often humorous or provocative, meaning. One of English's most iconic works is his "MC Supersized" series, which features a grotesque and obese version of McDonald's mascot, Ronald McDonald. The series critiques the fast food industry and its impact on health and the environment. Another notable series is "Abraham Obama," which combines the faces of Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama to comment on the role of presidential power in American society. English has exhibited his work in galleries and museums around the world, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. He has also created public art installations, including a giant mural in Times Square and a sculpture of a giant pink bunny named "Pink Grin" that has been installed in various locations around the world. English's work has been influential in the street art and urban art movements, and he has been described as a "Godfather of Street Art." He continues to create new work and is considered one of the most important and influential contemporary artists working today.