EDITORIAL

DO YOU BELIEVE THERE IS A SUCH THING AS "BAD ART"?

"Art is subjective because people seem to believe there is good art and bad art. 

It's all fair game to me but some art captivates me way more than others."

WHEN DID YOU START TO FEEL FULFILLED WITH YOUR WORK ENOUGH TO CONSIDER MAKING A CAREER WITH IT?

"I started off copying cartoons. I'd be watching Ed Edd & Eddy or Code Name Kids Next Door... I'd pause the show so that I could copy a certain expression or gesture...

I did that for a big part of my childhood. Eventually I didn’t need that anymore and I could draw my own sh*t and have it look like what I needed it to look like. I started to create a style that looked like mine that was unique to me. Once I figured out that i had my own way to draw cartoons that looked like no one else’s...it was my own....I’m like..I'm doing my own thing now. That's when I thought I could take it way further. I wanted to take my talent to Pixar."

DO YOU BUILD YOUR OWN CANVASES?

"Sometimes I build my own canvases, sometimes I get them for free. It depends on the project though because if I'm hosting a paint night I'll buy them in bulk packs from Michael's; they always have discounts. Building my own canvases is more work but cheaper so if I have time that's what I'll do. I like to go to Zimman's to get my canvas."

WHEN DO YOU DECIDE TO STOP WITH YOUR WORK AND DECLARE IT FINISHED?

"Sometimes a piece will tell you when it's finished. It's just a feeling and sometimes it comes out exactly how you planned it to. It's hard to explain but sometimes I can't decide if I like the piece or if it's bothering me. That usually means it's a good place to stop for now."

HOW DO YOU BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN ABSTRACT AND REALISM, DO YOU THINK THERE IS A DIFFERENCE?

"All art is abstract because it simply isn't real. Reality is processed through some individuals mind and comes out on the other side as it is. My artwork isn't too realistic anyway. I'm more interested in deconstruction. Deconstruction of the figure and deconstruction of the system."

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR MURALS, DO YOU FEEL YOUR APPROACH IS DIFFERENT FROM PAINTING ON CANVAS?

"My approach is different because a mural is more curated with a sketch and a whole idea. I also have to get those approved by somebody. With my own paintings I don't need approval from anyone and I like to be more expressive. Sometimes i go in with an idea, but often times the idea presents itself in the process of painting."

DOES MUSIC PLAY A ROLE IN YOUR WORK?

"Music plays a few roles in my work. It comes out in different ways. I always listen to music when I work so sometimes the tempo dictates my hand movements and mark making. I listen to a lot of HipHop and my artwork shares similar themes to the genre. Themes of black empowerment, family ties, and wealth all inspire my work. My favorite part of HipHop and even Reggae is that the artists are completely outspoken, and intelligent which reminds me as a person and an artist that I can be the same."

HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR TIME WITH ART MAKING?

"I'm currently an MFA candidate at MassArt in Boston so I'm steady working because of that. There's some things I need to do like playing basketball or binge watching a show though. For me I just need to do other things so I can ease my mind and come back to my artwork.

I gotta make as much time as I can if I'm trying to reach a certain level of greatness.

Consistency is key. I’ll even go to the studio just to stare at my paintings to figure out what I’m doing, what I'm talking about, and why. Being an artist involves taking your everyday experiences and making something from it so I feel like even when I'm chilling I'm working."

WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?

"I’ve been influenced by cartoons when it comes to drawing. I wanted to be a cartoonist my whole life until I got to college. Artists that inspire me today are Kehinde Wiley, Kerry James Marshall, Jordan M Casteel, Francis Bacon, Toyin Ojih Odutola, and Archibald Motley. I follow a lot of people on Instagram too. I'm constantly influenced by my friends and people I meet at shows too."

HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR SIGNATURE OR MASTERFUL IDENTITY?

"I'd say my signature is loose...it's not really too clean, rugged. The feeling of a city in flux; A freshly torn down building. A collage of layers and textures. A celebration of the figure and people. Deconstruction as a theme and aesthetic. I say what I want, I create what I want, I do what I want."
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'THE NUMBERS GAME' ARTIST STATEMENT BY MICHAEL AGHAHOWA:

"Knowing that sustainable African American cities like Black Wall Street were burned to the ground with deadly force, this painting acknowledges the dangers of trying to create a society within a society. That's the gamble. The viewer sees people around a table illuminated by a stack of poker chips. Sharks circle the people at the table indicating that the people aren't safe and that the sharks are in power. Poker is a selfish game by nature with everyone aiming to get their own money pot but in the painting they contribute to the pot as one. The Numbers Game is an illustration of people building generational wealth and economic status for themselves despite the confines of a country and a system that has actively worked against them."