INSIGHT: Paradise

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Issue 59 | www.fokus.org


Atiba T. Edwards // Founder & Chief Curator

Atiba is an engineer focused on making and connecting creative people through moments so that they can impact their own world.

Jozi Zwerdling // Curator

Jozi is an artist enabler, educator and organizer who loves the INSIGHT project as a means of re-imagining, linking and documenting selves, stories and worlds.

Shani Cohen // Curator

Shani is a Brooklyn based writer who believes in uniting our diverse communities through art and the power of words.

Jordan Kifer // Curator

Jordan is a writer focused on creating art that invites conversation and inspires larger cultural impact.

INSIGHT Magazine showcases and archives emerging contemporary artists from all art disciplines. FOKUS produces this magazine to provide insight into people who are creating art, traditional and non-traditional, in their own way.

INSIGHT: PARADISE

Cover: “Tender Thots” by Mz Icar

Contributing Artists:

Jumana Al-Qawasmi • Jendayi Asha • Kimbery Hernandez • Mz Icar • Yoko Ishii • Colin James • Kristine Keller • Yannick Lowery • Anthony TJ Reynolds Keya Whetstone • Ebony Ny Yizar

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Questions, comments and contributions can be sent to insightsubmit@gmail.com. To view past issues of INSIGHT, visit www.fokus.org/insight. Copyright © 2019. INSIGHT (ISSN 2164-7771) is a publication of FOKUS, Inc. All rights reserved on entire contents. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.


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Mz Icar & Jendayi Asha Armoured Thots Ebony Yizar Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Keya Whetstone Warmeth Anthony TJ Reynolds Cuts Kristine Keller Cuban Paradise Yannick Lowery Halcyon Colin James THE SILENCED HAS TAKEN SHELTER Jumana Al-Qawasmi All in the Family Kimberly Hernandez Paradise Internal Yoko Ishii Deer Planet

Photography

Visual Art

Creative Writing

Articles


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ARMOURED THOTS Mz Icar

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Paradise will ultimately be what we make it, how we see it. As of now, it’s a bit distorted, reflecting the way we see everything. This piece represents a fragmented perspective that taps into nature and sheer feminine beauty, which is inherently paradise. This is a collaborative piece by multimedia artist Mz Icar and DC Based Photographer Jendayi Asha. www.mzicar.com | www.jendayiashacreative.com www.fokus.org |

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Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Ebony N Yizar

Paradise is feeling free and clear minded. Paradise is living in the moment. Enjoying nature and the people you are with. To me that’s paradise. 6 | www.fokus.org


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Ebony resides in Westchester County and works with special needs high school students. Art and music are her first love. 12 | www.fokus.org


Warmeth

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Keya Whetstone

Keya is a Brooklyn based artist that creates anime-inspired pieces. kcurryftw.tumblr.com/

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Cut

Anthony TJ Reynolds

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Anthony TJ Reynolds is an artist, musician and art teacher at Haggerty. Reynolds is the first hip-hop artist to recieve a Creative Renewal Fellowship from the Indy Arts Council. He recently completed illustrations for a Madam CJ Walker exhibit for the Indiana Historical Society. www.fokus.org |

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Cuban Paradise

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Kristine Keller

Kristine Keller was born on a Sunday in the year of the fire rabbit in Maryland. KIMI KAA (pronounced as KIY-Miy-Kaa) was launched in July of 2003 by contemporary multimedia artist Kristine Keller who currently lives and works in Bronx, NY. www.kimikaa.com www.fokus.org |

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Halcyon

Yannick Lowery

Yannick Lowery (BFA Columbia College Chicago, Chicago) is a street artist living and working in Philadelphia, PA. His work has been featured on the walls of many cities along the East Coast and Midwest. www.severeoasis.com 18 | www.fokus.org


THE SILENCED HAS TAKEN SHELTER

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Colin James

From a window of white stucco houses over the Mediterranean Sea. Green painted pink tasting. On a very large bed a very large man. If you were to crouch to look across and out to sea, the land was him big as a continent and then like Africa is breathing awake, sitting, considering. If Tamiroff is to visit but not until dinner, there is little time. The market is winding down oysters already on ice served cold for lunch. But now to bathe the warmer water is waiting. A cigar first, to ease the accoutrements of salt

Colin James has a book of poetry, Resisting Probability, from Sagging Meniscus Press. He lives in Massachusetts.

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All in the Family

Jumana Al-Qawasmi The image is based on a gathering of friends in Jerusalem at Christmas time during the British Mandate. But rather than random individuals, I included Palestinian luminaries like journalist and writer Ghassan Kanafani, poet Suheir Hammad, my mother, academic and archivist Mezna Qato, and so many more. Jumana Al-Qawasmi is a Palestinian-American designer and grad student based in Chicago. She runs Watan, an art studio focused on exploring Palestinian cultural, historical, and intellectual heritage. www.watanpalestine.com 20 | www.fokus.org


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I recently returned from a two week trip to Palestine -- my second ever to my homeland (the first lasting only two days). It was an emotional time for me. Before, I would visit Jordan every year and feel at home because it was Arab and I understood Arab. But for the first time, total strangers recognized me as specifically Palestinian, one of their own, completely happy that I had returned. Reflecting on this piece, I think I view it differently. I drew it initially out of a sense of nostalgia for a time I never knew. Now, I see it with a feeling of hope, of light. To me, paradise looks like this, like return. Return to Palestine. www.fokus.org |

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Paradise

Kimberly Hernandez

Golden Soul This month’s theme, “Paradise,” rings very true to me throughout my journey of self love and care. My works take on a different approach where Paradise is internal. They embody the idea that one will truly feel the warmth of Paradise once they begin to love themselves exactly as they are. “Honey,” which also serves as my logo and true artistic identity, is a visual love note to myself. The flowers represent rebirth and the blooming that took place in my heart. “Golden Soul,” represents how sometimes women hide behind soft and pretty things (i.e. flowers) because they are afraid that soft and pretty is the only way. 22 | www.fokus.org


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Mind x Matter www.fokus.org |

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Futurist

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You taste like honey

Kimberly Hernandez is a native New York artist, specializing in surrealist style portraits and abstract works of art. Her body of work is inspired by the elements of human nature: love, pain, emotions, strength, memories, and the journey of self love. Ultimately, her message is for people to look at her work and think, “wow, there is a place for me in this world.� www.kimini.co www.fokus.org |

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Deer Planet Yoko Ishii

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Like all animals, deer require sustenance, companionship and the ability to contribute to the future of their species. Unlike most wild animals, however, there are Sika deer that live freely in the midtown section of the ancient capital Nara in Japan. These picturesque moments when early in the morning the deer can be found standing in the middle of desolate intersections, not bound by man’s borders and laws, yet inhabiting a man-made city are fascinating and inspiring. 28 | www.fokus.org


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The Sika deer in Nara are considered a divine servant of the Kasuga shrine and are protected as a special national treasure. However, in various other regions of Japan the deer’s feeding habits are damaging and are causing serious problems for farmers and the local governments. As such, the governments in these affected areas encourage the citizens to practice population management. In 2017, more than 160,000 deer were hunted and 450,000 deer were eliminated as harmful animals throughout the country. www.fokus.org |

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Inside these arbitrary boundaries created by man, the deer are beloved and treated as if they were domesticated animals. Outside of these boundaries, they are killed as destructive animals and unknowingly go beyond the borders with a spring in their step. 30 | www.fokus.org


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Looking at free deer through a lens, I see the “Deer Planet” spreading there.

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Yoko Ishii is a Japanese photo artist. She creates a world with only deer by framing and timing without digital processing or staging. She published a photo book “Dear Deer (Shika Shika)” from Little More. www.yokoishii.com www.fokus.org |

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Thank You for reading INSIGHT: PARADISE Read more issues @ www.fokus.org/insight

The theme for the next issue is: FROZEN


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