Reggie
As a self-taught visual artist I've also been interested in the transformative, healing power of art. The transformative process that as a student of esoterica, I see as a metaphor for mental alchemy. Changing our experience of reality through the creative process that expands our intuitions, Idealisms, and offers us greater Illumination into our own self-mastery.
As well as a greater understanding of the mystery and mechanisms of creativity.
For me the “Art of transformation”, comes through the creative recycling of reclaimed materials. Working with discarded materials represent the potential for our own transformation. And increase our ability to see, embody and appreciate the beauty that is within all of us.
Discarded materials, taken to the alchemical process by altering the objects, context and content, modifying their usually utilitarian meaning and significance that are transformed by altering the objects, original content and context while retaining aspects of its conceptual purpose and history.
At the same time challenge the factuality of materiality by manipulating the objects perceived inherent value and mixing it with a new intended meaning-abstracted-into energetic figurative sculptures.
Each figurative symbolizes an active return to the body -flesh off, showing the body as a framework analogous to the major skeleton, like our bodies provide structure and stability, containing the potential for emotional connection, containment and release. Archetypal, open-framework figuratives that the viewer activates by their story; to fill with their own personal iconography, emotional constructs, mental patterning to be transformed.
The majority of my figuratives are based on what has been called, in want of a better word “African Primitivism”. Utilizing “primitivisms” compositional devices, its sophisticated approach to the abstraction of the human form. Creating works inspired by religious ideals and spiritual experiences. Works that are unselfconscious as art. Works where a great amount of mechanical craftsmanship is still required.
African “primitivism” expresses my view of art as something that changes life and changes the artist. A personal and spiritual transformation alluding to the magical nature of art making seen in tribal African art. My works focus on spirituality due to my love for “primitivist” art inner connects various realms of our social-cultural reality as well as focuses on the African diaspora and the cross-cultural drift of African “primitivist” art into modern and contemporary art of today.
Along with my abstract figuratives, my latest series is comprised of figurative bust of early “Christian” African Saints, Martyrs, and Popes such as Saint Maurice the Moor, Saint Moses the Black, and Pope Victor the 1st. The few that I’ve exhibited so far have met with a bit of controversy from some, enlightenment for most, but most importantly created a dialogue between race, culture, art and history which is very important for me as an artist. Especially an artist of color.
My objectives with my art are to challenge the factuality of materiality by modifying the original utilitarian objects meaning. Creating a new emotion, a new layer of significance by manipulating the objects perceived inherent value.
To create figurative sculptures from recycled materials that demonstrates the importance of conserving our limited natural resources. The call to action, imprinted in the artwork
Transform a gallery space into a place for creative social engagement, through artistic expression through the use of energetic figurative sculptures created and fortified with a sense of presence. For this series the focus on African “Primitivism”, the cultural drift into modern and contemporary art. And its inner-connection’ s in various aspects of history and our social -cultural realities.
EXHIBITIONS
8/2017 Nightlight: Multimedia & Performance Festival SOMArts
San Francisco, CA
7/2017 Reimagine: The Art Behind Upcycling.
SOMArts.
San Francisco, CA
8/2017 Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition
“Recycle” Sculpture Exhibition
Brooklyn, NY
4/2017 Marin Artist Society.
“National Sculpture Day” Exhibition
San Rafael, CA
9/2016 Exposure: Photographic tales from the tenderloin.
Tenderloin Museum
San Francisco, CA
AWARDS
2017Bombay sapphire artisan series.
Regional semi-finalists, CA
2016 International Photography Awards.
Honorable Mention.
Advertising: Fashion
PUBLICATIONS
08/2017 Art Reveal Magazine
Issue #32
https://issuu.com/artrevealmagazine/docs/no-32/18
08/2017 The Scene ; Heard Journal
“The Reclamation of Utilitarian Icons”
