Category Archives: Creativity

Love Wins: The Music of Martyna Baker

Posted on January 31, 2012 by liveunchained| Leave a comment

If you fight it, it will outlast you. If you chase it, it will outrun you. If you try to control it, it will outsmart you. Love wins–naturally. Like many life lessons, these are often things we learn the hard way. Fortunately, there are artists like Martyna Baker, right there with us, knowing how to put everything we feel into the right words and melody. Singing from her own experiences of being taken for granted and confused, Martyna creates the music that makes you feel validated and understood when your relationship unfolds in a way that you didn’t expect, agree with or deserve.

Although many of her lyrics deal with pain, Martyna’s personality is quite carefree and fun; she had me laughing throughout this interview! While performing and living in the United Kingdom, her music is reaching people across the world. Martyna’s a great artist because she’s a great person—self-aware, thoughtful and making music purely for the love of it (and also because it’s healing to diss someone in a tune sometimes). Here, she shares the story behind one of her most popular songs, “Love Fast,” the emotion in her music and a fantasy encounter :-) .

Martyna Baker / @martynabaker

 What would you be doing if you were not singing?

If I wasn’t singing…I’d be crying!

How would you describe your music style?

Honest, delicate, atmospheric, otherworldly, real.

You said you propped up the courage to start singing at 21. So, what was the push?

I always loved music, I was an only child until I was 10, and me and my mum lived with my uncle who had a massive CD collection so I’d sit listening to Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton for hours! I didn’t have much self-esteem when I was younger, which held me back–and sometimes still can–but I started doing music about four years ago because my ex-boyfriend pissed me off. He said he knew I had wasted money buying a guitar since I didn’t touch it for the first 5 months, so I was like: “I’ll show you jerk!”

I’ve really enjoyed the EP after first falling in love with “Love Fast.” What inspired you to write “Love Fast”? Are you still love fasting?

I’m glad you like “Love Fast,” it seems to be most people’s favorite! I wrote “Love Fast” just after speaking to a boy I really liked at the time who just kept “blowing hot and cold” so to speak. I was trying my hardest to change and make myself fit him, but I just didn’t, so I gave up and wrote “Love Fast.” Thankfully though, I am no longer love fasting!

Your music clearly comes from the heart and you’ve shared a lot of your personal experiences. What’s one of, if not the most, revealing songs you’ve written? Do you ever feel nervous about being so open?

I think “Love Fast” and “Don’t Take My Eyes” are my most honest songs, but I try to be frank in all of my songs. I don’t feel nervous about being honest in my music because all I have is my story, my truth, so if I don’t share that then what am I sharing?

Where do you want your music career to take you?

Wherever my fans are! I hope that means I get to travel the world. I don’t have any big goals other than to sing for the rest of my life and never stop writing.

If you could have one special night with any musician, who would it be?

D’Angelo! Predictable, but oh so necessary!

Finally, what does living unchained mean to you?

To me, it means being yourself and not being afraid to speak your truth–even if you might piss people off.

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Download Martyna Baker’s EP  for free here: http://martynabaker.bandcamp.com/

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Posted in Creativity, Music, Women

The Art that Binds: Idil Ibrahim on Film, Unity and Empowering Somalia

Posted on December 26, 2011 by liveunchained| 1 Comment

Idil Ibrahim, photo by Annie Escobar

Artists have restless minds. For many of us, it’s not enough for us to know what goes on behind the scenes of a film, but also what it arouses in the audience. The fear of not having our vision received the way we’d like stops many of us from continuing, or worse, even beginning our creative projects. Yet, when you know that your creative vision serves a larger purpose—perhaps, to heal, to unite, to educate—it’s easier to move past that doubt. I think Idil Ibrahim’s commitment to telling stories with these intentions has been key to her success as a filmmaker.

A member of New York’s tight-knit independent film community, Idil followed her passion to start her own production company, Zeila Films. The daughter of Somali Parents, raised in the United States, and having known many communities across the country and abroad, it became important for her to, as she says: “bridge cultures, communities and perspectives through art.” As executive of her own company and a contributor to Double 7 Images, while still working on local and international creative projects, Idil shows me that if your problem is too many creative ideas, you don’t have a problem, you have a gift; and it really is worth sharing with the world. Here, Idil discusses what makes film so powerful, contemporary challenges facing Somalia and how art and the Diaspora can help.

…

What drew you to film-making?

I was always interested in film and television as a means of communication by sharing things like ideas, information and experience. However, I fell in love with film while I was an undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley. I was inspired to be a filmmaker after taking a class with my professor, the late Loni Ding, who was an amazing Chinese-American documentary filmmaker based in the Bay Area. Loni taught us production but also analysis and I devoted all my time to the creative process. Soon, I realized that I was spending more hours working on my film classes than the rest of my academic coursework. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this is what I wanted to do in life.

What is special about what film can express?

I find film special because of how enchanted I become when I watch an amazing film and I would love to be able to have the same effect on others. I appreciate the way film transports viewers into another time and place. I love that film can educate, entertain, inform and potentially change the way people interact with reality. All art forms are powerful tools of expression with the capacity to connect and reach others.

Idil Ibrahim, Dadaab Kenya, photo by Brenda Phillips

Would you say your heritage inspires your work and what you hope your viewers will take away?

The name of our production company comes from Zeila (Saylac), a city of antiquity, is surrounded by the sea on three sides and served as a center for trade, intercultural exchange and the sharing of ideas for many civilizations. My parents are Somali and I grew up in the States in incredibly diverse areas so I had a multicultural upbringing. I have wanderlust and love meeting new people and connecting with others–which is always expanding and reshaping my personal views and life outlook. I value difference but try to find points of connection between people and places, so I approach my work as such, with an international approach focusing on personal stories, fiction and narrative, that resonates with others.

What do you think are the greatest challenges facing Somalia? What are the mis-perceptions? 

I think many people want to write Somalia off as a failed state, full of conflict, humanitarian disasters and disease. Somalia and Somalis worldwide have immense obstacles to overcome, but I believe that Somalia has potential. There are so many individuals within the country and abroad working day and night to change their current reality for the better.

There are many pressing issues in addition to the famine, such as the ongoing conflict and political instability, the threat of extremism, and so on, but I believe in our global society we must remain as engaged and emotionally invested in Somalia as we are in other places. My vision for a healed Somalia would be a place free from conflict and oppression and an end to the cycle of violence that persists in many parts of the country.

How do you think art helps?

Art is a form of expression and it is quite subjective and personal. Applying art to conflict and post conflict settings can help serve as a tool for dialogue, expression, awareness building and hopefully healing and peace-building.

As you know, our organization aims to unite women across Africa and the African Diaspora. How do you think people from across the Diaspora can get involved in helping Somalia?

I believe it is always important for individuals to foster ties with others regardless of background or location. There are many ways people from all backgrounds, Somalis within Somalia, and members of the Diaspora can get involved. The situation in Somalia is complex, so it’s important to understand the context and then find ways to engage, but any step made as an attempt to ease human suffering is crucial. Somalis are resilient and despite the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis there are numerous individuals forging forward with life and working towards the betterment of society.

Finally, what does living unchained mean to you?

The term “living unchained” symbolizes my personal effort to live free—free from social expectations and conditioning. It reminds me to embrace similarities among people as opposed to focusing on difference, and encourages me to be true to myself, living with integrity and remaining passionate about life and work.

I love Mahatma Gandhi’s quote “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I know that may come across as really cliché, but I honestly strive to live my life as the quote suggests.

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Be sure to visit Zeila Films online and stay in touch with them via Facebook and Twitter.

Also, learn more about Somalia and what the Diasporan community is doing to help with the issues Idil discussed at Soobax Blog, The African Future and I Am a Star.

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Posted in Creativity, Film, International, Somalia, Travel

Mind Travels: The Eclectic Art of Corinne Stevie

Posted on September 29, 2011 by liveunchained| 1 Comment

Artist Corinne Stevie

Mixing musical and visual influences, Corinne Stevie’s eclectic, feminine and whimsical art is sure to capture your attention. If you’re adventurous, you’ll let her pieces take you on a mental journey of what she calls her “ideas about dreams, spirituality, beauty, identity, fashion, cartoons  and random things in the real world.” Here Corinne discusses her unique art and creative process.

Can you tell us a little about yourself? What made you get into art and music?
I’m Haitian American and I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. I got into art and music when I was in middle school. I started drawing at young age and then I applied to a visual arts program for middle school and I got into the program. Around that same time I had an uncle who started teaching me how to freestyle and write lyrics because I was really interested in learning how to.

Many of your paintings have a whimsical quality, what draws you to this style in your art?
Well growing up I spent a lot of time drawing and exploring my imagination. When I went to college to study art that’s when everything clicked for me artistically. I realized through studying different styles of art and the different eras in art history that my work could be about anything. So I decided to used my art to send positive messages to myself and the viewer. I use the whimsical style because I think it allows me to express my playfulness and seriousness at the same time.

'A Woman's Heart' mixed media 2009

To me your work also seems to have a mystical quality as well. Is this something that you strive for in your pieces? I thought it was interesting that a key was a recurring element in some of your work. For example: “A Women’s Heart” and “Whirlwind,” can you talk a little bit about those pieces.
Sometimes I do strive to make my art really mystical and sometimes it  just turns out that way. I think it has a lot to do with me growing up in a religious family. I started including the symbol of the key in my work as a reminder to myself that I hold the key

'Whirlwind' acrylic 2008

to my own life and destiny. In the particular piece “A Woman’s Heart” the keys symbolize the keys to my heart and friendship. I don’t just give  the keys away to anyone. A person has to be willing to get to know to me in order earn them. The creature in “A Women’s Heart” is a metaphor for myself. I sometimes see myself as this strange and usual being. In the “Whirlwind” piece the key again symbolizes me having the key to my destiny even in the most hectic times in my life. The “Whirlwind” painting reflects how there can be turmoil in my life but I have to remember to breathe, meditate, be calm and remain centered. I also included the goldfish earring in the painting because  I wanted to paint something that looked surreal. The hummingbird is a symbol of me connecting with nature, and the Nike shoe reflects my love for exclusive interesting looking sneakers.

'Gunnation remix' mixed media 2008

I love how you use mixed media in your pieces. It provides a certain amount of layering that makes your work very interesting. How do you decide what types of mediums to use for a piece. What mediums do you like to work with the most?  Can you talk a bit about your piece: “Gunnation Remix.”
I really enjoy using acrylic paints and spray paints. Occasionally I like to collage in pictures or different patterns. It all depends on the message I’m trying to convey. All of my pieces are initially done in acrylics and then I add the other mediums for texture when I desire that kind of aesthetic.

“Gunnation Remix” is a very important piece to me because this piece was chosen to be shown at the Museum Of Contemporary Arts in Atlanta, Ga earlier this year. “Gunnation Remix” was actually inspired by a series of photographs called Gun nation shot by renowned British photographer Zed Nelson. His Gun Nation series got him a lot of awards and I found this out a couple years after I created the painting. I was inspired by the photos because they seemed so shocking to me at the time. His series focused on showing the gun culture in America. When I thought of gun culture in America I usually thought of drug dealers in the hood but through this series I learned that a lot of people keep guns, not just drug dealers. “Gunnation Remix” is a response to how I felt  about  Zed Nelson’s series.

The portrait in the foreground is a combined portrait of me and my friend. I painted my eyes and nose and the rest of the portrait is my friend. The portrait symbolizes how I see my self in my friends. This is another idea I was playing around with. The portrait has a concerned look on its face. The images in the background are images directly from the series. I scanned in the original photos, printed them out and collaged them in. There’s also text in this piece that is from the write up that accompanied the original photos but the text blends in with the patterns. I used pattern paper that I was experimenting with at the time  to create the details in the scarf. This same pattern is also the ammunition coming out of the guns. This piece is very intricate it was done with acrylic paint, house paint, spray paint, pattern paper, and  scanned pictures.

'Look in the mirror' mixed media 2009

What is your creative process?
 I sketch everyday and I paint almost everyday. My paintings usually begin with a sketch from my sketch book. I like to draw out whatever I’m going to paint at least once just to get familiar with the imagery. I prepare my board or canvas with a layer of house paint because I don’t have gesso or any canvas primer at the moment. Once the house paint is dry I start to work on the painting.

How does your visual art influence your music and vice versa?
Painting and music go hand in hand because their both expressions. Sometimes I’ll work on music and feel limited to the things I can express and then I’ll switch to the canvas. I feel like there are more  feelings that be can expressed through visual arts sometimes. At the end of day both forms just keep me thinking creatively about life.

'M.I.A. as Krishna' Acyrlic, spraypaint 2008

New amErykah remix' acrylic 2008

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
I would like to let the readers know that I’m available for commissions next month. Check out my website: www.corinnestevie.com for new music and art. I am putting out a music project  next month called “Amalgam Nation”. “Amalgam Nation” is a big deal to me because the music on this project is amazingly musical. I wrote everything I’m rapping about, well the  production was done by my producer friend Timeshare who lives in Australia. We met through the internet a couple years ago and we started making really dope music together. The music really reflects a different  side of me. The music itself is really positive and it makes the listener think.

What does living unchained mean to you?
It means living, thinking freely and being myself.

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Posted in Art, Creative Process, Creatives, Creativity, Dreams, Illustration, Live Unchained, Painting, Women

Daisy Giles’ 6 Tips on Artistic Growth

Posted on September 21, 2011 by liveunchained| 1 Comment

Daisy Giles' BFA Show, Gyasi Jones

The past few nights I have been reflecting on my 23 years (few to some, but wow they feel like a lot to me!) I think about where I am now as an artist, and where I want to be around this time next year. As I strive to excel, in my work and my own happiness, I find each year gets easier and easier thanks to some tips and habits I found along the way. So, today I share that with all of you!

Daisy Giles, Self-Portrait

1. Prepare for Productivity
The first thing about successfully pursuing a passion is that you have to put in the prep work to enjoy the play. I have slowly been building up an arsenal of tangible and intangible things to help me to make what I do easier. I’ve been gathering a large supply of paints in every color, brushes in every size and canvases of the same. Having supplies on hand can be costly, but can help me do what I need to do faster and gives me the motivation to just paint for fun. I couldn’t always afford to buy an excess of supplies, but I have chosen to invest slowly and I am starting to finally see that fruit.

2. Respect Inspiration’s Ebbs and Flows
I have had to learn when to give myself a break. I have an obsessive personality (my receipts, sketchbooks and worn out Harry Potter tapes won’t argue). When I get into something, I get into it – if you feel what I’m saying. I have spent days in a row, 10 hours a day, working on the same paintings and I have been happy as a clam. But other times, I won’t feel that fire for weeks. I used to try to force myself to paint, but then I realized that sometimes I just needed to get away from my work. My forced paintings were not good, they were lackluster at best, and instead they just lengthened my feeling of disinterest.

Another side project to keep me busy– decorating my headboard

3. Find and Share Diverse Creative Inspirations
Which brings me to my third realization: when I took a break, I always had to stay busy. I still needed a creative outlet to give me ideas to bring me out of my funk. During my weeks of non-paint this past year, I discovered TUMBLR. What a difference it has made in my life. I would tumble for hours and find dozens of pictures for inspiration. I gave myself an emotional break from the pressure of creating, but kept my mind on its tippy toes by staying active in a different way.

4. Breathing Room
Fourth, and this is something I shall never again underestimate – I have learned the importance of a separate space. To pursue a passion and to keep it enjoyable, it needs room to grow and spread out. If you want it to be a priority in your life, whatever “it” may be, it should have physical space in your life.

When I moved out of my college apartment and into my childhood bedroom this past summer, squeezing every last bit of nothing into that space, I knew it was going to be more than a struggle, but that it would be pure torture to do the thing that I loved, turning it from a relaxing event into a chore. Let your work breathe. If you can’t afford a separate space now – come up with a plan to save up so that you can  in the future – be it a studio to write, to paint, to sew, to dance, to make music – whatever!

I LOVE my little studio den in my new apartment. I have been here for two weeks now and I have already gotten as much done as I did in the full summer I had in my old room.

My little studio...messy, but mine

5. Setting Worthy Goals
I know I need to come up with goals. I try to set realistic but challenging goals, and write down ways to make them happen. I don’t want easy goals and I don’t want hard ones, I want ones that will take work, but that won’t discourage me. Then, when I meet those, I set new ones. I am happy when I achieve, but I do my best to never be complacent and that way I can continue to grow.

6. Honor Your Uniqueness
Last but not least, I know I have to make what I create my own. The work that I make may pull from other sources, but no one will doubt that its mine and that’s the way I like it. I want to make waves and I want to leave footprints. I have a goal to be in an art history book one day and I am going to do everything I can to make it happen. I feel like I have something to say, and despite what some unnamed teachers have told me, I believe that purpose should never be undervalued.

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Do what you love, love what you do, and please ladies – let’s continue to work hard to do it well. Be memorable, be different, and be purposeful! I hope these tips are helpful and motivate you all to keep living unchained – I know I will!. Year 24 here I come!


Check out more of Daisy’s work on her website: www.daisygiles.com and Facebook and Etsy pages: https://www.facebook.com/daisygilesartist, http://www.etsy.com/shop/daisygiles

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Posted in Art, Creative Process, Creativity, Daisy Giles, Live Unchained

Project Media Muse Complete: Get your free “unchained” PDF!

Posted on August 22, 2011 by liveunchained| 1 Comment

Much thanks to everyone who participated in our latest creative collab project, “Media Muse.” We asked you all to show up online via Twitter, Facebook and, here, on our blog, to tell us how you would finish this sentence: “You’re unchained when…” We then invited some of our favorite illustrators, cartoonists and designers to create an image based on the lines that spoke to them. Your liberated imaginations inspired some incredible pieces by brilliant artists.

Check out the works below and download your free “unchained” PDF. It’s our way of saying thank you for being an inspiration. Yes, that’s what you are to us :-) .

You’re unchained when…

Contributing Artists: 

Afua Richardson
Aida Sofia Barba
Sean Mack
Kendall Patterson
M. Rasheed
Tim Rodgers
Lance Tooks
Jessika Von Innerebner

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Posted in #youreunchainedwhen, African Diaspora, Collective, Community, Creativity, Live Unchained, Women

Through my body, I live unchained

Posted on July 26, 2011 by liveunchained| 3 Comments

Post by LU Team Member Lulu Kitololo

As Niambi mentioned last week, I too am very honored and excited to be a part of this community and share my thoughts, inspiration and passion when it comes to art and living unchained.

Fittingly, there’s a question that I’ve been asking myself and exploring
for years, albeit not always in these exact words and sometimes, not even
consciously: How can/does art enable us to live unchained?

Last week I came across a CNN interview with one of my favorite artists, Wangechi Mutu. In a lot of her work, she takes the female body and transforms it into something new that is often at once dazzling and provocative. In the interview, she talks about how she is inviting Kenyans and Africans (essentially, women of African descent) to celebrate and appreciate our bodies, rather than despise them as we have been taught or even forced to do.

"Untitled" by Wangechi Mutu

It made me think of how else art representing bodies is used to challenge
assumed knowledge or even address stigma – in short, to empower. One of
the first examples that came to mind is the Trust for Indigenous Culture
and Health and their body mapping work – an art project whose explicit intent is healing. Pioneered by an HIV positive women’s group in Uganda, body mapping involves painting large scale silhouettes representing your body, its experiences and how you nurture it. Through creating and sharing these pieces of art, the women chart their powerful emotions on the path to healing.

Indeed, sometimes the most powerful tool we have is the one we often take for granted, mistreat or view as an enemy – our precious body. With it,
we can be incredibly creative, even if we don’t consider ourselves to be artists or creatively-inclined. Engaging with it, listening to it, appreciating it, celebrating it and taking pride in it – regardless of the challenges it may present –  is one way we exercise living unchained.

Our bodies are available to us right here now and so experiencing that
unchained living is simple. Take one of the things that makes me most
happy in this world – dancing. In surrendering my body to the music, it is
freed to move and express itself in a way that is independent from my
thoughts.

Though the moments may be fleeting, it is in these glimpses
where all the things I have been told (or told myself) about my body are
exposed for the irrelevant or even false statements that they are. Through
my movement, I create a new vision for myself. These are powerful times.

How does your body help you to live unchained?

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Posted in Art, Body, Creativity, Dance, Live Unchained, Wangechi Mutu, Women

You’re unchained when…/#youreunchainedwhen

Posted on May 31, 2011 by liveunchained| 74 Comments

Well, how would you finish this statement?

You’re unchained when….

We’d love to hear from you. Tell us by posting a comment below this post.

Also, follow us on Twitter using the hashtag: #youreunchainedwhen to share. We’ll be tweeting your insights all day. The conversation has already started on Twitter and we’re thrilled that you all have some liberated imaginations :-) .

Wait!–There’s more.

Some of our favorite comic artists, illustrators and designers are teaming up with us to create a small work of art based on someone’s line. That has us excited–share a line and you could be the muse to a great artist!

And, if you’re an artist who wants to create a piece such as (but not limited to) a single pane comic, illustration, photo, YouTube Video, song or digital art based on one of the lines below–or one of your own–be sure to let us know. We’ll feature creative pieces in upcoming posts with the name of the artist and link to their site, Facebook Page or any other promotional page.

We’re honored that Lance Tooks, former assistant editor at Marvel Comics, and noted graphic novelist, has decided to contribute an interpretation of his classic character Narcissa. Thanks Lance!

Also, the very talented Sean Mack , recently contributed a piece inspired by the line: “You know you’re unchained when uncertainty stops stopping you.”


This is gonna be fun!

So, let’s share. You’re unchained when…

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Posted in Collective, Community, Creativity, Twitter, Youth

From the Surface to the EDGE: Iman Milner on Media Diversity, Beauty and Creativity

Posted on April 20, 2011 by liveunchained| 10 Comments

Iman Milner

If you got to meet an artist who had obviously worked a lot of magic to become successful–say Janelle Monae–wouldn’t you want to learn about more than her favorite producer? I know plenty of women, like Iman Milner, who want to see more than the same media interviewers asking the same celebrities the same simple questions. Women of color, I think, have a special appreciation for the fact that if you want  things to go in a different direction, you’ll often have to clear the path yourself. Iman, collaborated with friends, Camara Mathis and Ashley Nguyen, to create a project that would take us from the surface to the edge.

EDGE Magazine was created to showcase the diverse experiences and perspectives of young artists of color. The magazine features kindred creative and entrepreneurial spirits talking about topics like world affairs, vulnerability, and destiny, always with an exciting and youthful flavor–not the conventional features for people of color that mainly focus on sports, entertainment and gossip.

Talking to Iman about EDGE Magazine’s development, immortalizing black women’s beauty and living unchained was like a breath of fresh air–I guess everything’s just crisper on the edge…

Continue reading →

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Posted in Acting, Art, Black Women, Creativity, EDGE Magazine, Inspiration

“Easy to Swallow, Hard to Digest”: An Interview with Nina Chanel Abney

Posted on March 28, 2011 by liveunchained| 2 Comments

The Live Unchained team and I were discussing how artists, in general, but conceptual artists in particular, are often stereotyped as tortured functional depressives. You don’t really hear about how these artists have to be resourceful and trust their instincts. From an early age Nina Chanel Abney created pieces that resonated with her, even if they didn’t fulfill others’ expectations–i.e. young Nina’s painting of a bloody eyeball that caught her art teacher off guard.

Paper Magazine described her work as combining “strong feminine and masculine images infused with humor, irony, perversity, satire and fantasy.” As to the playful, challenging nature of her paintings, she says they’re “easy to swallow, hard to digest.” Having exhibited works throughout the United States and abroad, being featured in The New York Times, Essence and Glamour, people like us, are eager to see the stories her paintings have to tell because they make us better–even if we have to choke a little. Here, Nina discusses how she came to be so bold in her work, her creative process and visual storytelling.

Nina Chanel

Could you share with us a little about your background? What made you want to become a painter?
My love for art and my hate for the “9 to 5” drove me to seriously pursue painting as a career. I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a child. But it wasn’t until graduate school that everything started to come full circle for me. My boundless imagination and I moved to a place where “anything goes.” Prior to coming to New York, I had a very limited view of who an artist was; I had a very limited view of art in general. I had never been into a gallery. I had no idea how artists made a living. I had no notion of contemporary art.

Most of the schools I attended insinuated that a “good” artist was one that could draw and paint realistically. And though that was what was typically taught, because my gut told me differently, I began a mission to find my own truth. And that started by me purposely doing the opposite of what my art teacher expected. As a fifth grader, I remember having to paint Rene Magritte’s “The False Mirror” as an assignment, and I turned in a painting of a bloody eyeball. And from then on I continued to push the limits of my assignments and my teacher’s buttons by doing my own thing.

And I never meant to be rebellious in a disrespectful manner. I just needed to paint by emotion and instinct rather than paint out of docility.

"Close But No Cigar," Acrylic on canvas

To me your work appears to possess a playful yet mysterious quality that I am drawn to? How would you characterize your artwork?
Easy to swallow, hard to digest. The playfulness of my work is a result of my use of vivid colors and my interest in satirical cartoons. I love the fact that anything taboo suddenly becomes tolerable as long as it’s not “real”. I’m a huge fan of The Family Guy because of their ability to spoon feed their audience touchy topics with the use of humor and animation. If it were a sitcom with actual actors, they would no longer be on television. And as far as the mystery…I personally find the artwork that I am mostly drawn to is work that keeps you guessing and keeps you coming back for more. I enjoy work that doesn’t give me a definite answer, but challenges me answer my own questions. I cannot even sketch an idea for a painting because the definitive nature of the act itself would make me lose interest in the painting before it’s begun, so I couldn’t possibly expect the viewer to want to continuously look a painting that is too literal.

"Null and Void," Acrylic on canvas, 77 ½ x 45

During the opening of my second solo exhibition, “Emma’s Basement”, there was a woman who came into the gallery, stood in front of my painting, “Null and Void,” and left with a look of utter disgust. She then came back about 10 minutes later, and I knew then my work was doing exactly what I wanted it to.

When looking at your work there appears to be layers to the narrative, which I find really interesting. Is there usually a specific story that you wish to be conveyed in a piece?
When I begin a painting, I never have a specific story in mind. I usually have a few general topics that I want to start a discussion about, or attempt to resolve for myself. And in that process I usually end up with a lot of contradictions. It is not until then that I meld together all of these disjointed elements to create a narrative or multiple narratives. And to adhere to the mysterious quality of my work, in my most sinister voice, I say, “I NEVER share the stories!” ☺

From what sources do you get your inspiration?
Most of my inspiration comes from personal thoughts and experiences and the things that arose from those experiences, or resulted from those thoughts. I then relate them to specific songs, emotions, movies, celebrities, world issues, etc. So I am constantly watching television, movies, browsing the internet, looking through books, magazines, and listening to music in order to immerse myself in the things that relate to the topic at hand which is usually what I am dealing with at the moment in some shape or form.

But when I find myself in some sort of slump, in which for whatever reason I am not feeling very moved by anything in particular, I usually go to any art museum, or go check out some gallery shows to rejuvenate myself.

Could you discuss your collection GO BERSERKER? What made you create this collection? I was specifically drawn to your pieces: “A Capitol Offence” and “The Liquidators,” could you speak about those?

THE LIQUIDATORS (2010) acrylic on canvas 66 x 80 in.

A CAPITAL OFFENCE (2010) acrylic on canvas 36 x 36 in.

I don’t attempt to communicate anything specific to the viewer. I simply share my thoughts and hope that the viewer will have an experience, rather pleasant or unpleasant, that will start a conversation, spark an emotion, or help to them to convey their own message to themselves. And I don’t have a specific audience in mind for my work. Creating work for a specific type of person would create too many boundaries. I create the work for myself, and then share it with anyone who is interested.

The pieces in my exhibition Go Berserker, explore introspection and the idea of fighting against and/or accepting the things one might find when looking inside oneself. With that body of work I was also interested in exploring the collision of instinct and intuition, as well as the power in the ability to harness both.

Are there any specific pieces of art you would like to share with us?

Nina Chanel Abney The Escorts, 2008 Acrylic on canvas 93 x 66 1/2”

Nina Chanel Abney Law and Order, 2010 Acrylic on canvas 65 ½ x 74 1/4"

Nina Chanel Abney Holey Grail, 2011 Acrylic on canvas 48 x 40"

 

Finally, what does living unchained mean to you?

Living unchained for me is living for myself without regrets and obligation.

I have a shameless plug…

I’m currently collaborating with a well-known brand to develop my own line of limited edition t-shirts that should be out sometime this summer.

I will be in the traveling exhibition 30 Americans, which is coming to North Carolina in March.

http://www.ninachanel.com

http://twitter.com/ninachanel
(I haven’t tweeted anything since July, but I’m working on it, ☺)

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Posted in African Diaspora, Art, Black Women, Conceptual Art, Creative Process, Creatives, Creativity, Development, Dreams, Empowerment, Inspiration, Introduction, Painting, Process, Uncategorized

“Art is the Battery”: Delphine Diallo Discusses Her Photography and the Magic of Spirit

Posted on March 7, 2011 by liveunchained| 1 Comment

Magic Photo Studio, Delphine Diallo

“We’ve been influenced by the pessimistic vision of photojournalism, and the obsessive, perfect fashion aesthetic…These images are still in my mind, printed in my subconscious. It is time to transcend them.” –Delphine Diallo

Delphine Diallo transcends the status quo in photography by simply following her spirit.  Trusting it led her to Senegal–her father’s homeland, Indi–the little girl that became her muse, and dipping herself in blue after being inspired by the film Avatar.

Delphine was born in Paris and currently lives in New York where she has continued to work as a photographer, graphic designer, illustrator and filmmaker among other creative ventures. After graduating with distinction from the Académie Charpentier School of Visual Art in 1999, she worked as a graphic designer and animator for several musicians, including Coldplay, Smashing Pumpkins, and Manu Chao.

In speaking with Delphine about her background, travels and views on art and style, we learned that her major influences are love and spirit.

Indi, Delphine's Muse and Mona Lisa, Delphine Diallo

Avatar, Delphine Diallo

How does your background influence your work?
Being mixed and having an African dad and a French mom makes me realize that I might have something different to express. Also, working in the music industry with great artists inspires me to create artwork that is personal and very emotional. It helps me to take a risk and be totally free–to open my mind about a different vision of the world.

Some say art is like a window into themselves and the world. Do you agree?
Yes it is… art is a reflection of my thoughts, my beliefs, my fear, my love about the world. I have direct connection with the world… it is like a fluid, where media influences become secondary and where your mind is feeling every single moment of your life and translates to your own vision through photography. This vision becomes the part of your real world and you are able to build a strong link with the world around you.

Photography allows me to develop images that transcend stereotypes in a world that consistently perpetuates a singular attitude as to what is deemed beautiful.

"Monica" and "Azza" from the Queen of New York series by Delphine Diallo

What does art allow you to discover about yourself and others?
Art is the key to live in a better world if you know how to use it.  Art has opened my mind to understand how as an individual you can contribute to improve others life too.  I became more tolerant, less selfish, giving myself the freedom to understand the other and discover that without your friends and family, you won’t be inspired.

Can you tell us about how Africa came to be a recurring theme in your work?
Africa is the first place where I was inspired. In this land, no one is running and people take time to share and stay in family. I’m inspired because of the nature, light, people, colors, wildlife…everything about Africa is inspiring. It has a pureness of the beauty of the moment.  A natural moment is unique, like a magic chemical, instant. My pictures are raw and full of natural emotion.

"Dream Life" from the Renaissance Series by Delphine Diallo

You created a body of work called “Renaissance,” which captures images from your trip to Senegal? Can you share with us what you learned from your experience in Senegal and what you wanted to capture in pieces inspired by that trip?
I FLEW to Saint-Louis, Senegal, land of her ancestors, in search of Something permanent. “Renaissance” is the body of work that resulted from this trip. It is a series of stories in which the protagonists are heroes of ancient tales, where beauty and violence coexist on parallel planes, the one reflected and made possible only by the other. The men and women featured in “Renaissance” are spiritually strong, beautiful, full of life, and proud despite life’s cruelty. In “The Beautiful Ones,” Anta, an eleven-year-old girl appears frequently in the photographs, symbolizing youthful strength, potential and innocence not yet lost. Khady Kebe & Loli, two seventeen year olds represent young ladies full of life, joy, and (perhaps naïve) hope for a better future. Kine Diop is a twenty eight-year-old who represents the proud African queen, symbolic of maturity and serenity in the face of hardship. My work is often autobiographical and these women are me at various stages of my own life. The images encountered are filled with weakness and suffering. “The Goats” depicts tranquility and slaughter, innocence as well as a supreme vulnerability culminating in death. “Le Boucher” is the story of a slayer, one who carves food from the dead to sustain life. He represents the cycle of life – destruction, distress, and the raw violence of reality in balance with life-sustaining nourishment and renewal. metaphorically, “Le Boucher” also represents a broken heart cut in pieces. The flesh is dead and from this carcass the spirit is reborn.

"Universal Magazine" and "Superstar" by Delphine Diallo

"Oulofs" from the Magic Photo Studio Series by Delphine Diallo

Could you talk about the use of collage and layering in your art? What draws you to merge photography and other mediums as seen in your collection “Magic Photo Studio”?
Photography is a process that can be reproduced and copied. I was trying to find a way to do something unique, so… I was definitely interested in drawing on top of it. The purpose of “magic photo studio” was to create a strong link with my family that i just discovered.  It was also a powerful message about giving love through photography to the one who makes your life beautiful.

You once said your art reflects “spirituality and lots of love.” Can you say more about that? Would you consider yourself spiritually grounded and do you think that helps your art?
Being spiritual is sometimes something that you have in yourself since you are born.  Let’s just say that for me, I was already with strong spirit but I didn’t know what it was. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s like having a lot of energy and feeling and not knowing how to use and control it for a long time. The maturity and experience help you to channel this power and transform it through art. Love, love is the key.  It is hard to love yourself and be confident but that’s the first part, to be able to embrace your spirit.

Art is the battery, a meditative process to connect with yourself… you will believe I am crazy… but I think we should be able to be educated this way. Our wisdom and connection to the planet have been lost growing up in the 21st century.

What does living unchained mean to you?
I am, and my life is a journey to discover everyday what I’m going to become–with no fear.

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Follow more of Delphine’s art, thoughts and musings on her blog, http://delphinediallo.wordpress.com/, and visit her professional site at http://www.delphinediawdiallo.com/.

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Posted in Art, Black Women, Creative Process, Creatives, Creativity, Dreams, Empowerment, Europe, Freedom, Illustration, Inspiration, International, Live Unchained, Painting, Process, Uncategorized, Women