Artwork Description
Signs Of The Crimes- Red Orange Framed Archival UV-Cured Print on Varnished HD Aluminum Panel Artwork by street pop culture artist Ron English- POPaganda.
2020 Signed Limited Edition of 100 Artwork Size 24x24 Framed Ready To Hang
Signs Of The Crimes Red Orange by Ron English- POPaganda: Satirical Symbolism in Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork
Signs Of The Crimes Red Orange is a 2020 limited edition artwork by street pop culture icon Ron English- POPaganda, executed as a 24x24 inch UV-cured archival print on high-definition aluminum panel. Framed and ready to hang, this signed edition of 100 merges vivid minimalist color with hyperrealist distortion, spotlighting English’s deep critique of consumer icons and psychological contradiction. The piece features a single yellow smiley face against a blazing red-orange background, but upon closer inspection, the traditional happy visage is interrupted by a grotesque anatomical mouth. A photorealistic human jaw grins behind the synthetic emoji facade, exposing bone structure, gums, and teeth. The work forces a confrontation between surface happiness and hidden discomfort, rendered in the visual language of Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork.
Visual Deconstruction and Cultural Parody
Ron English- POPaganda is known for his ability to remix and mutate universally recognized icons, turning them into visual parodies that question their original intent. In Signs Of The Crimes Red Orange, the smiley face becomes a vehicle for satire. Originally created in the 1960s as a symbol of corporate friendliness and later adopted by rave and acid house subcultures, the smiley is often associated with euphoria, innocence, and mass appeal. English rips that association open—literally—by replacing the expected line-drawn mouth with a surgically precise rendering of a human grin. The result is uncanny and confrontational. It invites the viewer to smile along while forcing them to feel disturbed. This kind of visual tension is central to Ron English- POPaganda’s approach, where popular symbols are disassembled, reassembled, and shown in their most honest or exaggerated forms.
Material, Print Process, and Presentation
The piece is produced using archival UV-cured inks on a varnished HD aluminum panel, a process that ensures both color intensity and long-term preservation. The surface is sleek and durable, allowing the bold saturation of the background and the contrasting precision of the smiley’s face to take center stage. The print’s varnished finish gives it a luminous quality under light, making it ideal for display in gallery, commercial, or private settings. Each edition is hand-signed by Ron English- POPaganda, affirming its place within his broader body of collectible visual disruptions. Framed and ready to hang, this work is not just an artwork but a fully realized object of commentary, crafted for immediate impact.
Ron English- POPaganda’s Influence in Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork
Born in the United States in 1959, Ron English- POPaganda is a foundational figure in Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork, often credited with pioneering techniques in billboard liberation and subvertising. His career spans fine art, vinyl toys, political murals, and commercial design—all approached with the same intent to reveal the truths beneath modern mythologies. English’s work is consistently fueled by a distrust of corporate language and a fascination with the seductive power of visual repetition. Signs Of The Crimes Red Orange encapsulates that ethos, taking one of the most globally recognizable icons and turning it into a symbol of suppressed aggression, synthetic identity, and media manipulation. The piece serves as both homage and critique, a striking example of how a simple form can carry deep complexity when viewed through the lens of Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork.
