Brush arms with hip hop royalty in Front Row Shine, a vibrant meditation on what it takes to earn your crown on the mean streets of the concrete jungle. Wrought in Romeo’s unmistakeable Kitsch Pop style, the artwork explores the fascination of rappers with royalty, from Kanye West and Jay Z’s ‘Watch the Throne’ to the regal presence of Queen Latifah. Above the owl hovers the crown famously worn by the Notorious B.I.G. during his iconic ‘K.O.N.Y’ portrait session by Baron Claiborne in 1997. Romeo explores this theme through his alteration of the phrase ‘Night Crown’ to ‘Night Owl,’ highlighting the tireless effort required to stay ahead of the game. At the same, Romeo’s clever use of lunar motifs imbues the work with a feel-good irreverence that nods to the distinct colour of the American Blue Moon beer logo. Front Row Shine captures the essence of Johnny Romeo’s Poptimistic vision, where ascending to the hip hop throne means finding the inspiration to beam yourself up into the heavens, beyond the orbit of your peers.