Resilience, 2022, Oil on Canvas, 36 x 36 in
Over the weekend of July 6th-9th, Stormwater Studios will host Malik Greene’s visual art show, My Eyes. The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday, July 6th from 6-8 p.m., and the closing ceremony will take place on Sunday, July 9th from 3-6.
Greene, a Columbia-based painter, is Stormwater Studios’ first artist-in-residence in their year-long BIPOC Residency Program. He seeks to capture the realities of his life and perspective of the world around him. He describes using painting as a form of “record keeping,” allowing for the permanence of a fleeting moment, thought, or action, and describes his work as a “bridge between creativity and capturing his own personal epic.”
Jasper: The central theme of the show, the neglect of Black children, especially young Black boys, within the American public school system, is incredibly interesting. What inspired this focus for this collection of works? Was there any personal or interpersonal experience you drew from?
Greene: A lot of my work is really inspired by whatever needs that I believe should be addressed within the communities I am a part of. So before I sit down and think of what it is exactly I am creating I ask myself if is this an issue that is relevant to myself and even those within my community at large. The body of work originally started off as No One (Ever) Really Fails (There May Be A Reason Why) and it addresses systemic negligence regarding Black boys within life and more specifically the public education system. In time I will go further into what this body of work genuinely entails but with my residency at Stormwater I really wanted to give that exhibition its own life and room to grow and develop as a call to those whom I grew up with and those who can put themselves in my shoes; it’ll be unveiled officially at the conclusion of my residency. It really feels like my current magnum opus because I've been progressively painting my development as a man and an artist, so this body of work really feels like the next step in my career The concept of taking developmental milestones is also a prominent theme of this exhibition because it brings into question the fate of those who are stripped of those developmental milestones and how society at large may be responsible for some of these shortcomings. I relate that back to my days of adolescence and observe how those who I grew up with took a multitude of routes. Some for the better and some for the worst and although we share so many spaces, experiences, and memories we ultimately tailor our lives to what best suits our needs. Some aren't able to delineate which route best suits them and without proper guidance on the possible ways, some simply stop searching altogether. In my mind, it started off as a very bleak concept, but I've come to the conclusion that there is no true failure in life, I guess one can call it predestination, but I think everything that is meant for us ultimately falls into our grasp. The exhibition in July, My Eyes is a prequel to this next step of my narrative which is conveyed through paintings. It really chronicles my perception of the world, really the world that I’ve created inside of my mind because that's where I live most of the time. Some works tackle issues of race and class while some are pages from the notebook of my mind. It also serves as a welcome to the new residency that I have been awarded and is almost like a personal studio tour for those familiar and unfamiliar with me alike.
Jasper: In your artist statement, available on the Stormwater Website, you mention that the subjects of your work hold a kind of power that "does not rely on systemic pain, trauma, or past offenses." How do you accomplish this while still reflecting on the real-world struggle? Furthermore, are you aiming for your subjects to hold the complexity of living individuals? If so, what sort of technique do you use to "flesh them out"?
Greene: For me, the easiest way to do this is by having a true understanding of the subjects I am painting and genuinely being connected to their circumstances, it almost feels like concern for their circumstance at times… I want to feel how they feel. Everything is subjective but my goal is to make it where my subjects feel as if they are seen and can identify with themselves through the work. If I am able to do that, I think that in itself conveys the nuanced experience of life these individuals are going through. Oftentimes these subtleties are achieved by actually experiencing these circumstances with the individuals I paint, which is why I enjoy using archival and personal references; sometimes I experienced these moments firsthand and it allows me to truly reflect on the feelings involved in these moments. Another way to achieve this is by simply engaging in a conversation and being able to see the subject from their perspective. I desire to create empathetic work that allows the viewer the opportunity to feel the figure and not simply what is happening to them. We all experience pain and misfortune in life but we all respond to it differently, it alters the way we see the world differently and I believe the work becomes successful when one can show discernment and capture the individual in their most vulnerable form. I think the power lies in simply being. I want my subjects in the work I create to simply be, I don't want them to be victims, martyrs, or slaves to their circumstances. I think keenly observing gives an indication to the world that my subjects are a part of, and those minute inferences can say more than simply regurgitating a pain-ridden narrative. I want my subjects to be in settings that are familiar to them, native to the world they know and within that viewers are allowed to connect their own dots as to what their conditions are. I flesh my subjects out by putting myself in their shoes and conveying them as they are not as the world wants them to be, I think that is the highest respect I could pay to anyone willing to be a part of my artistic journey. I could never compare my work to anyone else's because I believe the hand is unique but being a Southern-based artist a lot of work I’ve wanted to counteract convey Black people being slaves to circumstance as opposed to masters of their own domains despite the strife that life may be providing them at a moment. I think the pain only lasts for a moment. If my plan is to immortalize someone through my art, I want to show their strength and not trap them within a fleeting pain.
Three Fingers One Thumb (3F1T), 2022, Oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in
Jasper: Additionally, a lot of the way you talk about creating art in your statement makes it seem like a lot of it is a balancing act of realism and artistry. How did you manage to find the balance you landed on as an artist?
Greene: Honestly, I just started creating the artwork that I personally wanted to see, really just filling the need that I saw within my community. Along the way of creating what I wanted to see I discovered a lot of artists who follow the same code and it's basically like I was able to develop a family tree of artists I'm working to get a branch on. That tree is really based on research and preference, the old saying goes there is nothing new under the sun and I wholeheartedly agree. I find a new artist every day who has a different perspective on topics that have been touched on all throughout time, and that’s beautiful. To me, that really boils down to two things. 1. We have so much more in common than we may give each other credit for and 2. There is always something to be learned from our predecessors. It’s so many different art styles and eras and it can be intimidating at first but I'm positive that there is a lane and a tribe for everyone looking to find community through art. I have a lot of influences and artists that I respect from a creative standpoint and my biggest takeaway that I get from them is to create what I like and those who resonate with it will. The moment I attempt to create for anyone other than myself it shows within the work. For me, I was influenced heavily by manga and high animation, and it just catches my eye in a way that pure realism doesn't so I tailor a lot of my work based on my past experiences and influences that pique my interest. That's not to say that it won’t change my direction along my artistic journey but as of now, I am extremely compelled by emotive figuration that is able to convey a story through the brushstrokes. Also, I think my beginning my career as a self-taught artist actually helped force me to develop an identity based on what I enjoy, as opposed to developing technique before finding style; I’ve always had my own style, and now I'm able to compile new techniques that amplify my style. Plus the biggest benefit of creating artwork for me is to create how I feel, that's the baseline that has helped me balance my style, being original. In my case that is conveyed through bold opaque colors and textural emphasis, but I envision my creative style and medium developing as I progress. The biggest underlying facet that I wish to maintain is creating my ways and bending the rules to fit my creative need.
Underneath The Veil, 2023, Oil on linen, 16 x 20 In
Greene: Honestly, I'm most excited to put my art out into the world, allowing it to exist outside my mind and studio. I know about myself, and I know I share this feeling with a lot of artists but, putting yourself out there is really the toughest part. Being able to paint, the very act of being creative is innate to me, it isn't really something I have to try hard at because it's a part of my identity without it I don’t know who I would be, but showing the work relates to a part of me that I haven't fully come into yet. It’s really surreal that this is my life, and I haven't grasped that in totality I must admit. Being able to work up the nerve to say this is me, this is what I've put my all into for the past so and so the amount of time is really an unearthing experience and at times I overthink how my perception will be received by those who witness it. So to answer the question I'm just really excited that I'm providing myself the opportunity to share a part of myself with anyone who chooses to receive it. To paint in my studio is one thing, it is my thing but I'm excited that all of the work that I have been putting in to create an experience is about to come to fruition. Being able to see supporters face to face, exchange stories with one another and really connect on a level that words simply can't convey excites me and I'm just extremely blessed that my art is giving me the opportunity to make those connections that last a lifetime.
For more information on Malik Greene and his work, visit his website at malik-greene.com