Category Archives: Women

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

Without Approval, Applause or Understanding: What Your Vote Means to Me

Posted on December 12, 2011 by liveunchained| 4 Comments

I’m proud to tell our loyal, encouraging and artsy readers that Live Unchained recently won a fellowship to participate in a media entrepreneurship boot-camp with Unity Journalists of Color in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now begins the second phase of the program, a competition for $10,000 in seed money. We would be eternally grateful for your vote here: http://unityjournalists.org/newu/newu2011/newu11videos/unaffiliated-video-pitches/. It only takes a second and you don’t even have to sign up for anything. So, let’s show up and shut it down unchained style! :)

…

The Unity Journalists of Color New U  boot-camp was a great experience. Each participant gave a business pitch and, as you’ll see in the video below, mine ended with what conducting Live Unchained interviews with nearly 90 artists from over 16 countries across Africa and the African Diaspora has meant to me:

It meant so much to hear people say that this part of the pitch (the least “businessy” part of it) resonated with them the most. I don’t take this lesson about freeing yourself from others’ ideas–or what you assume their ideas are without even really knowing sometimes–of your passions lightly. From time to time, I have been insecure as an artist and entrepreneur, but my good and bad experiences with networking, branding, budgeting and organizing pounded the false need for validation, security and stability right out of me.

If you want to live unchained, personally and creatively, in a world that encourages conformity, you have to be comfortable standing out. You also have to be grounded enough to not be disturbed by being misunderstood, unheard or stolen from. And, of course, there’s the real work of paying your dues, putting in the time and energy to build your creative dream. For Live Unchained, the truth is, we didn’t start this project with a lot of connections, internet savvy or money; we started with the bare minimum of each. We managed nearly 90 interviews because many more artists never responded to our request. (Also, I spend hours trying to get each post just right so that our interviewees know we don’t take their participation for granted–I used to get like “The Hulk” whenever I found a typo here.) I learned everything I now know about the importance of social media from time and energy draining research after many technology mishaps. And, as far as sustaining Live Unchained financially, I’m still funding as much as I can out of pocket while living on a student budget–eating cheap rice and canned beans most days (seriously). The point is, if we let any of this stop us, we wouldn’t be living unchained.

Kathryn after finding a typo in a Live Unchained blog post

We are completely committed to the vision of Live Unchained as a non-profit organization, which is why we’re still going forward. Our dedication is also why winning this grant would mean so much, it represents all we ever needed: a chance. I know how much it inspires me to see black women telling their own stories in ways that common language could never capture, those that challenge cliché depictions of us in the media or our under-representation in the artworld (both of which have become way too palatable for mass consumption). Women artists, their fans and communities, need an initiative that encourages them to connect, create and Live Unchained; it would mean the world to us if you could help us create that. Growth starts one step at a time, with our first event, a revised site and non-profit incorporation–your vote can help us get the funding to do all that and more. So, please visit http://unityjournalists.org/newu/newu2011/newu11videos/unaffiliated-video-pitches/
 and help help Live Unchained rise.

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Posted in African Diaspora, Art, Entrepreneurship, Live Unchained, Women

Color Junkie: The Art of Jaimee Todd

Posted on November 3, 2011 by liveunchained| 4 Comments

Jaimee Todd

A self-proclaimed “color junkie,” Jaime Todd‘s work is  bright, lively and, just makes you feel good. In fact, many have described her paintings and inkblots as therapeutic. Jaimee brings her creative sunshine to artistic venues across New York including the New York Mercantile Exchange, St. Francis College, Climate Gallery and Broadway Suites, LLC.

I wondered how so much of Jaimee’s work could be so full of joy when so many artists create out of the pain they see in the world and themselves. Here, Jaimee explains how her most soothing pieces were created out of frustration, creative inspiration and linking art and social good.

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I like your inkblots. How did the idea for using them come about? What inspires your choice of color in them?

Untitled Inkblot

An artist by the name of Margaret Peot wrote about how artists can use inkblots as an art form in a do-it-yourself book and on her blog. I had seen her designs in person and was fascinated by the endless possibilities. Like many other artists, she typically worked in black and white but I preferred to experiment with different colors and paintbrush techniques and came up with some really exciting images.

Totem Pole

Initially,  I wasn’t trying to make any type of commentary with the inkblots; I just created them because I liked the way they looked but then I really became fascinated by what people would see. I became curious as to why they saw different things in the same image and what motivated them to see those images. Interestingly, people tend to get self-conscious about what they’re supposed to see when they look at the inkblots. At a recent art fair, some people seemed nervous that I was trying to trick them or psychoanalyze them.

I think the choice of color is more of a reflection of who I am more so than the actual patterns. I love bright, energetic colors and I’m a pretty energetic person. Even though the inkblots are a bit of a departure from the painting style, I think the color choices make them very much me.

Untitled Inkblot

For the most part, it seems that your work is aesthetically pleasing and, I like how it makes me feel calm. Do you ever create out of frustration or anger or ever try to communicate that through your art?

Some of my more soothing works were created when I was particularly angry or frustrated and they were a way of calming my nerves. I painted Duality when I was in my last year of law school, which was a very trying time for me and I was looking for a way of acknowledging my conflicting feelings about school while trying to find my emotional center. Occasionally, though, I just have to let it out. Medea was created when I was getting fed up reading about hearing about women being abused, neglected or mistreated while I was dealing with my own personal obstacles with sexism.

Duality

I also like your piece of the Yoruba Goddess Yemaya. What inspired that painting?

Yemaya

A good friend of mine that practices Santeria told me about Yemaya (or Yemoja). I really loved learning about this powerful African goddess and wanted to paint her not only to represent her significance but also the power, beauty and vitality of black women.

How do you think your femininity influences your work?      

I think women are very complex and often struggle with  how to define their own sense of femininity against societal expectations. My feminist pieces like Medea and Duality show how a woman can be nurturing and fiery, exuberant and melancholy all at the same time without it being an issue.

Medea

Linking art and social good is also important to you. Can you tell us about how you’ve used your art for positive change?

I like to create art around certain topics to raise awareness about  very important issues and a portion of my sales proceeds often go towards those causes. When the Haitian earthquake happened, I sold the Haiti prints online and at silent auctions to raise money for Wyclef Jean’s Yele foundation. I also sold prints of Medea to raise money and awareness towards finding a cure for Triple Negative   Breast Cancer, a disease that seems to target young black women. I would also like to create pieces centered around the Troy Davis execution and the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I’ve really gotten into photography over the past year and really enjoy the   endless possibilities that it opens up for creative expression. It’s fascinating how my background as a painter has really contributed to developing my photographer’s eye.

Finally, what does living unchained mean to you?

Living unchained means having the courage to pursue your own bliss and express it without being constrained by what other people feel you ought to prefer.

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Posted in Art, Femininity, Jaimee Todd, Painting, Women

Greater Virtues: Peju Alatise on Women, Art and Real Freedom

Posted on October 31, 2011 by liveunchained| 2 Comments

Peju Alatise

Of her least satisfying work, Peju Alatise has said: “Nobody will ever see it. I’ll pour white paint on it and start over. So that does not exist.” The paintings, writings and sculptures that did make the cut illustrate ideas of love, femininity and religion. Most importantly, Peju’s art reflects her own lived experiences. When I look at her paintings I feel like I’m seeing (and sometimes confronting) a piece of myself and a piece of Peju–a woman bold, sensitive and self-reflective. Here, Peju discusses what freedom means to her, the importance of it for African women and how her experiences growing up in Nigeria inspire her artwork. Her criticisms of the challenges facing black women are as impassioned as her hope that we can make things better and that art can help. Although Peju considers optimism her “weaker virtue,” her pieces remind me that hope is not always naive. Peju’s art inspires me to reach for my highest self–and, for artists everywhere that’s just practical.

African women, their enduring strength and beauty, are central to your visual and literary works.  How did you come to value your womanhood so much? 

Africa is a continent with so many issues derailing its progress in development. There is civil war, corruption in government, poor health care systems, apartheid, famine, poor management of resources–the list is near endless. Amongst the issues seen as least pressing are feminism and equal rights for women.

Only Woman

But, it has not always been this way, not in all tribes and ethnic groups. I belong to the Yoruba tribe from the western part of Nigeria. The precolonial traditions held back then held a noble place for the woman. The economic and trading power was her’s alone as men were prohibited from the market place. You had to respect the one that spent the money on behalf of the household–she was the caregiver in her community and traditional education was her forte.

All that changed with the western ideas of monogamy, the influence of foreign religions and the home-economics education. Vanity has replaced nobility. The caring for one another is replaced with suspicion. There is a disheartening loss of self-identity and the confusion of which gods to please. I wish I knew how it all went wrong because I only know that it is wrong.

I am of the opinion that if given the right choices, the woman can completely change her environment to a better one. The desperate need for change and improvement make me value my womanhood, knowing that “who and what I am” is critical for this change.

Can we talk about the creative process and inspiration for the pieces I’ve selected…

  •  Orange Scarf-First — I like the look of her looking and I wonder why she’s gazing up; I wonder, was she challenged to or was she invited to…

Orange Scarf-First

The orange scarf was my experience at the age of 16. I had gone to the prayer grounds with my parents and I wore this orange scarf to cover my hair and shoulders. One of the attendants was going to stop me from entering the prayer grounds for wearing a brightly colored scarf. I was told I was a distraction and God preferred me to be in black, grey, brown or dark blue. I was given a warning and a book; The book had details of punishments in hell for women who did not live accordingly.

Continue reading →

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Posted in Africa, African Women, Art, Femininity, Feminism, Freedom, Live Unchained, Nigeria, Painting, Peju Alatise, Process, Sex, Spirituality, Women

She Got the Rhythm!: Juliyaa’s Take on Music and Femininity

Posted on October 4, 2011 by liveunchained| Leave a comment

Juliyaa

Rooted in African rhythms, layered with  soul vocals and the high energy of UK urban music, Juliyaa effortlessly combines different genres in to a sound she calls ‘Rhythmic Soul’. She was raised listening to her mother’s traditional Ghanaian gospel and hi life, and her father’s classic vinyl collection of soul and reggae artists like Bob Marley, Al Green and The Maytals. With her sultry soul voice, and trademark retro style, Juliyaa is renowned for delivering uptempo and fun-filled live performances. In the run up to her single release, Juliyaa has been performing with her band at some of London’s hottest venues including The Roundhouse, Regal Rooms, Camden Proud and The Troubadour. Here Juliyaa discusses her musical journey, femininity and take on what it means to live unchained.

Can you tell us about yourself? 
Well, I grew up in North London to a Welsh father and a Ghanaian mother.  My name is a combination of my European name ‘Julia’ and Ghanaian name ‘Yaa’ meaning ‘Thursday Born’.  I started singing at a young age in my mother’s church, and wrote my first song at the age of seven.  Music was a part of my life growing up and there were a lot of eclectic influences that have influenced my musical style. Mum was in to Ghanaian gospel and hi-life which meant that every Sunday morning I was awoken to the sound of her cassette player blasting out songs – they were good times.  Growing up music was about family, and about culture and it has always signified something about who I am and what my parents have passed on to me.

 

Is there an overall message to your music? What do you want your fans to take away?

I write songs about the different things that I experience in life.  I sing about love, the London underground, Ghana, dreams, my faith – anything and everything.  I would say that I would like to bring positivity and light through my music, and help people to enjoy the beauty and the fun in life. I want to bring a smile to the faces of the people who listen to my music.  I want to inspire hope if they are in a dark or difficult situation. I want people to listen to my music and understand the emotions that I am expressing, and for the words to resonate with them.

What do you love most about being a woman?

I love having the privilege to express my femininity to the world, and to have the opportunity to have a family one day.  I am proud to call myself an African woman and love to identify myself with the strength, dignity, and gentleness that my mother modeled to me.

Finally, what does living unchained mean to you?
Living unchained for me means enjoying a free, passionate relationship with God.  It means being free to love others, free to forgive others who have wronged me, and free not to care what others think of me.  It means being free to be myself and who I was created to be.

 

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Posted in African Diaspora, African Women, Femininity, Juliyaa, Live Unchained, Music, Women

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

Black Feminism, International and Unchained: A Talk with Ms. Afropolitan Part II

Posted on September 7, 2011 by liveunchained| 3 Comments

Minna Salami

It was about this time last year that Beyoncé publicly considered herself a feminist, as a woman who respected her femininity and the power of female communities. Recognizing feminism as a lifestyle and larger commitment to ourselves and each other, Minna Salami adds to Beyoncé’s take: “Feminism is not simply about being an independent or successful woman. It is about recognizing…structures that may oppress women such as the ‘institution’ of marriage or elements of religious doctrine or music videos…My life choices have all been shaped by a conviction that gender structures should not limit personal and professional growth and that every woman should have that right.” We’re all defining what feminism means in our own lives, and as Minna suggests, the diversity of our experiences means that empowerment does not look and feel the same for every woman.

As promised, we continue last week’s discussion with Minna Salami of Ms. Afropolitan discussing African Women’s Decade, her vision of liberated African women and her own inspirations and ventures.

We are one year into the African Women’s Decade. What progress do you think we’ve made so far? What’s your vision of an empowered African woman? What suggestions do you have for how we and our readers can become more involved?

The first year has been successful. African governments have approved the Maputo Protocol, which outlines and puts women at the center of major initiatives that African countries undertake over the next 10 years, which is in itself quite an achievement.

With vast differences between urban and rural lifestyles, I think empowerment can mean very different things to different women. To one woman being empowered means being able to stay at home and look after her children, to another it means the opposite. To simplify, I’d say that if more and more women have the authority to govern over their own lives at the end of the AWD and if more institutions support that vision, then that would be a great success.

The AWD is all about working together; there isn’t some big institution that is monitoring its success. It’s really down to all of us African women on the continent and across the Diaspora to use it as a platform to create change. Ways we can help is first and foremost by staying on track with the developments, organizing fundraisers and supporting grassroots activity in other creative ways, most importantly by raising awareness. A good site to keep on track is Make Every Woman Count.

When it comes to matters of African independence and women’s empowerment, who are your radical inspirations?

Oh my, there are so many! To name a few, I’m inspired by Angela Davis for her rebellion, Gloria Steinem for her spirituality and compassion, Michele Wallace for her insights into black masculinity, Molara Ogundipe for her African feminist theories, Wangari Maathai for her discourse on the abuse of nature and women, and many more. Oh, and I should mention Thomas Sankara, his thoughts on gender equality are a true source of inspiration to me.

What about your own personal passions? Can you tell us about your ventures?

Well, I launched my online shop, MsAfropolitan Boutique, as a tribute to  African Women’s Decade. The aim is to showcase a handpicked range of products made by African Diaspora women on a rotating basis.

Fashions Featured at MsAfropolitan Boutique

Finally, what does living unchained mean to you?

Living unchained is making friends with freedom. In order to obtain freedom we need to be in control of our lives, our bodies, and our minds. There are many obstacles in the way of freedom, even abstract things like the media messages we are surrounded by, so to live unchained we need to challenge those obstacles, not confrontationally, but with resolution.

 

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Posted in African Diaspora, Bloggers, Empowerment, Fashion, Feminism, Women

We need your voice.

Posted on September 2, 2011 by liveunchained| Leave a comment

We’re ready for the South X Southwest conference. All we need is your vote and your voice behind us. Please click this link to learn about and vote for our panel. South X Southwest takes not only votes, but comments into account when deciding which panels will be selected–so please make yourself heard!

Our proposal video describes what we’ll be talking about in greater depth with pretty graphics.

We appreciate your vote and comment; we need your opinion.

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Posted in African Diaspora, Art, SXSW, Technology, Women

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