“Complexity and nuance is where the truth lies”- F.D.
Contemporary art comments on modern society. It challenges what is and what should be. It is a critically unorganized critique of the structures we set for ourselves.
“Then the LORD God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being”. (Genesis 2”7)
We were made from clay. Molded and shaped by our eternal artist. Am I contemporary art then? Hold a mirror to myself, what do I see? An analytical, methodical, somewhat conscientious, borderline psychotic guy; born from love but afraid to feel . What do they see? A generous 5’9, brown eyes, brown skin, black hair. The crown I wear on my head. Simple yet complex, right? But I don’t understand. What does it mean? What do I mean? Who am I? A simple complexity tangled within forces of life. I really am a walking contradiction. Where do I go from here? I don’t know. I am an evolutionary artist—changing what is seen, how it’s seen, and why it’s seen. But am I seen? Will the world see me for who I am or for what they want to see? What if I don’t want to be seen? I’m scared. I’m scared of surviving, thriving within the inner machinations of my mind after the lights go out—of navigating the weight of realities the world generational, institutional, and emotional. I, a chaotic canvas of colors, the soft yet rigid brushstrokes of my existence; each line a reminder of the raw complexities of human existence. Of my existence. No, more than art; a reflection, a mirror. A vehicle to the lens of the world around me. Standing on the edge of the riverbank watching the current rush past me, I see myself. A window into the controlled chaos of never-ending jazz performance. Trumpets blaring, drums anchoring each note, the pianos are vibrant but steady. Rifts. Spontaneity. Twisting, Turing; a conversation between what I see and feel laid out in an improvisation of meaning, culture, and truth. My truth, laid out for all to see. Explored but never explained. Looking at this reflection, I understand that there are no answers, just constant questions blended with color, cultural consciousness, and internal complexity, for anyone willing to look.
