If I Ruled the World by Gee Horton
Fine Art Print (Framed)
52X40 inches
Reproduction
About the Art
If I Rule The World captures a moment when a young Black boy begins to see himself and his world with newfound clarity. He starts to recognize the powerful, often hidden forces—cultural, systemic, and historical—that shape who he is and influence his life. In this moment of insight, he decides to embrace himself and the complex conditions that shape him—with pride, joy, and dignity—standing firm against the world’s urge to define him.
The Parental Advisory symbol, widely associated with the music industry, serves here as a gesture to hip-hop culture. It’s a reminder of how Black art and expression are both celebrated and censored by mainstream culture. This symbol, alongside others in the series, reflects the richness of Black creativity and the boundaries often imposed upon it by larger systems.
These symbols invite viewers to look closer, choosing how deeply they wish to engage with the work’s layers of meaning. Each detail—the gold grill, tribal paint, and adornments—isn’t just a style choice; it’s a blend of pride and resilience, serving as both markers of identity and declarations of self. They resist simplification, asserting a complexity that defies being boxed in.
In this defining moment, he dares to see himself fully, imagining a world shaped by his own vision—a moment that truly feels as if he rules the world.
About the Artist
Gee Horton (b. 1983, Louisville, KY) is a visual artist based in Cincinnati, OH. His solo exhibitions include the Kentucky Museum of Contemporary Art, The Alice F. & Harris K. Weston Gallery, Kennedy Heights Arts Center, and The Cincinnati Art Museum. A solo show at the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center is scheduled for the 2026 season.
Horton has earned recognition from ArtsWave, FotoFocus, the Ohio Arts Council, CODA Summit Public Arts, BLINK Cincinnati Public Arts Festival, Creative Time, The Mercantile Library, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. In 2024, he was named a Creative Ohio Semi- Finalist for CreativeOhio’s Champion Advocacy Awards. In 2025, CODA Summit honored him as a Creative Revolutionary, and he was one of three artists awarded a Juror’s Choice Award in the Ohio Arts Council’s 2025 Ohio Artist Registry Exhibition.
His work is held in prestigious collections, including The Cincinnati Art Museum and The Mercantile Library. His work has appeared in The Cincinnati Enquirer, Whitehot Magazine of
Contemporary Art, Good Housekeeping Magazine, and Bravity Magazine, and was featured in various media. He served as an Artist-in-Residence in Senegal (2022, 2025) and is a recipient of the 2021 ArtsWave Truth and Reconciliation Grant. His film, Be Home Before the Streetlights, acinematic extension of his exhibition trilogy - was selected for the 2025 OTR International Film Festival and the 2025 Cindependent Film Festival.