[left] Oh? and [right] Setting the Scene 2015

This painting by John Bankston is from the chapter "The Explorer," in his ongoing visual novel, The Capture and Escape of Mr. M or Tales from Rainbow Forest. Drawing on elements from science fiction, African American folktales, and gay culture, Bankston illustrates the story of Mr. M's journey through the Rainbow Forest, a place he describes as similar to San Francisco. Bankston utilizes the visual language of coloring books as an accessible entry point into his fantasy world. In separating individual works from the overall narrative­, the artist intends for them to generate a new story on their own.