Air Raid, 2024

JOHNNY ROMEO

Air Raid, 2024

acrylic and oil on canvas

1010 x 1010 mm

Embark on an exhilarating journey as you shred through the skies with the Man of Steel in Johnny Romeo’s upbeat ode to teenage nostalgia, Air Raid. The painting is a hyper-coloured mash-up of comic book wonderment and skateboarding reverie that reimagines Superman in a daring new light as a spirited skateboarder in classic superhero garb defying gravity through both flight and slick aerial trickery. In the work, Romeo skillfully mashes together inspiration from Superman’s preoccupation with the skies and skate culture’s fascination with ‘getting air’ to delve into the symbolism of lifting the heavens to rise above your problems. With his calm and carefree expression, Superman appears unencumbered by the reality of shouldering the burdens and responsibilities of his heroic destiny. The Man of Steel glides effortlessly on wheels as he soars through the skies, upturning expectations about his traditional airborne feats and embracing his newfound love for skateboarding. Eyes fixed on the horizon, Superman’s ascent prompts us to gaze skyward, echoing the timeless call of ‘up, up, and away’. Yet Air Raid transcends mere spectacle. Moving away from the militaristic connotations of ‘air raiding’ enemies with bombs, Romeo’s superhero air raid serves as an artistic shakeup that urges us to elevate our mundane experiences and reach for the extraordinary.  Rounding off the artwork on a truly uplifting note, the word assemblage ‘Skies High’ becomes ‘Rise High’, a rousing declaration inviting us all to soar alongside Superman and embrace the limitless possibilities that await above.