POW! Demo

POW! Demo Statement Pow! This work was created before and after my ex-stepfather vandalized two of the pieces featured in this show. I stood up against him, from abusing my mom, and instead of fighting me back he broke in and tore up my artwork. I was already making the work for Pow!, but this became the catalyst for something different. In the work, you can see I have reservations with access, masculinity, and race. Access is subverted or implied with money and education. I have survivor’s guilt and have been equipped with the vernacular to speak about double consciousness. Language has a nature of being a tool for control, liberation, and tracks messy history. Thug comes from Thuggee, and how does an American identify with this group of people who would commit crimes and kill British? (This is an oversimplification of Thuggees.) Book ending myself, I struggle with the violence and softness that comes with masculinity. When I hear discussions about race, all too often I see the hypocritical actions from those with a leading voice. I am colliding the art and myself, while taking risk with materials and messaging. The phone has people living vicariously. This sentiment is shown in the title track with, “some talk like they never got punched in the face” and I really want to ask, “is it performative or praxis? Are we talking about practice?” My work is constantly analyzing the groups I am part of. I feel like I occupy the definition of toxic masculinity, because I hold differing opinions from my cohort. From an Art History & Theory point of view, Rosaland Krauss wrote Sculpture in the Expanded Field. Founded as a painter who already genre bends, it confirmed my natural inclination to create painting plus something. The work may be broken down into 1) expanding the definition of the medium, 2) concept, and 3) presentation. Rooted in painting people, I render using foundational drawing skills. Working monochromatically forces the hand to render the important information and allows room for the form. The fabric is chosen based on textures and color schemes. Clothing crosses cultures. It reflects the wearer, attaching ideas to images, which then reflects our biases. It not only has the capacity for great interconnection, but the judgment of another person’s belongings (clothing) will fall short. Demo Demo comes from me thinking about a solo show in terms of creating a studio album. Understand this is the demo to the concept of Pow!, as I am still developing this body of work. The trajectory of my work will continue exploring identity through markers of skin, clothing, and sampling lyrics. I am looking at the problem of identity, by pairing concepts broadcasted by comedians, artists, and musicians with the imagery of physical family photos to virtual documentation seen on social media outlets. Perception matters in a world of a social contract. I am a product of my environment. There’s a constant play off two complementing themes: soft and hard, positive and negative space, 2D imagery and 3D forms, taking a shot at the Left and the Right, beauty and finite life, and so on. When I talk about these issues, it is all too often dense. I am confused, so I want the work to be confused, too. "A big part of the thing with sampling is you're showing who you are, you're showing what your influences are, you're almost showing how you grew up, and the realist one is you're trying to pay homage to this thing, so you're honoring it with those details." Thebe Kgositsile professionally known as Earl Sweatshirt Artwork/Track List: June 28th Charcoal on paper, and eyelets 2022 Pow! Charcoal on paper, curtain rod, straps, fashion hooks, rivets, and poly-satin 2022 Juggernaut Acrylic on canvas, snap buttons, felt, fleece, and a curtain rod 2020 Piñata Talk Acrylic on canvas, trim, cotton, poly-satin, and snap buttons 2020 Jalisco’s Combo Meal Acrylic on canvas, denim, rivets, and polyester 2021 Falling out the Sky Acrylic on canvas, poly-satin, denim, rivets, embroidery, jersey knit, polyester, and a family photo 2022 Canela Charcoal on paper, sycamore branches, embroidery thread, poly-satin, oak, and twine 2022