Artwork Description
Kim Jong’s Supreme Barber AP Artwork Giclee Limited Edition Print on Photographique Rag Paper by Pop Culture Graffiti Artist Marwan Shahin.
AP Artist Proof Marwan Shahin's "Kim Jong’s Supreme Barber" an iconic standout from Black Pop series, Debuting in 2015, Releasing 20 Artist Proof Prints from the archives and produced by Shahin Studios Only 20 Available, "Kim Jong’s Supreme Barber” 2015 20 inches x 27 inches Giclée on Photographique Rag Signed, Numbered, Embossed and Branded
Kim Jong’s Supreme Barber by Marwan Shahin – Black Pop Satire at Full Clip
Kim Jong’s Supreme Barber is one of the most provocative and visually arresting works from Marwan Shahin’s Black Pop series. Released in 2015 and issued as a limited Artist Proof edition of just 20 prints, this 20 x 27 inch giclée on Photographique Rag paper represents Shahin’s signature blend of satire, symbolism, and street pop art with razor-sharp cultural critique. Signed, embossed, and branded by the artist, the piece reflects the fusion of authoritarian iconography and global consumerism, delivered through the lens of contemporary graffiti artwork. At the center of the artwork is a hyper-stylized depiction of Kim Jong-un seated at a barbershop, his face rendered in yellow and marked by concentric linework that reflects the hypnotic style common across Shahin’s visual lexicon. Draped in a barber’s gown stamped with the bold red Supreme logo, the North Korean leader becomes the unsuspecting subject of transformation. Hovering behind him is a heavily stylized barber with dreadlocks, grills, tattoos, gold jewelry, and a gleaming pair of clippers. His expressive gestures, confident stance, and the dangling barbershop pole clipped to his chain inject this piece with a swagger that contrasts sharply with the rigid, emotionless stare of his client.
Global Irony Woven into Detail
What makes Kim Jong’s Supreme Barber stand out in the canon of street pop art is its layered messaging. The juxtaposition of Supreme, a global streetwear empire rooted in Western counterculture, with one of the most globally criticized authoritarian figures, comments on the absurdity and irony of modern icon-making. The barber, portrayed as a stereotypical symbol of hip-hop culture and Black excellence, takes the role of power-shifter, reshaping the dictator’s image in a visual reversal of societal roles. The piece subtly flips the dynamics of influence and agency in a consumer-driven world. Shahin’s careful craftsmanship appears not only in the illustrative precision of the linework, but in the symbolism interwoven throughout. The Supreme logo acts as a stand-in for corporate worship. The barber’s gold accessories and confident demeanor challenge the cultural hierarchy of who shapes global style and influence. The red background pulses with movement and tension, while the flat, expressionless stare of Kim grounds the absurdity in an eerie calm.
Black Pop at Its Sharpest
Part of the Black Pop series, this artwork belongs to a body of work that reclaims visual narratives typically monopolized by white or Western artists and commercial institutions. Marwan Shahin, through this satirical print, addresses the power dynamics between fashion, race, media, and propaganda. His depiction of the barber as a cool, cultural force—who literally shapes the head of a dictator—speaks to the growing influence of marginalized communities over the global zeitgeist. Kim Jong’s Supreme Barber is both absurdist and profound. It dissects global politics, power, and the cult of consumerism with biting wit. As with much of Shahin’s output, it is unafraid to provoke, to reframe dominance, and to push pop culture imagery into radical, uncharted territory. For collectors and admirers of true street pop and graffiti artwork, this limited Artist Proof is a masterstroke in visual commentary and cultural subversion.
