ISSUE 29 WWW.FOKUS.ORG/INSIGHT
CONTENTS
Issue 29: COMMUNITY 02 03 04 05 14 16 18 23 28 29 30 32 34 36 40 42 43 50 51
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR COVER ART JUST BE YOU MY SWAN SONG FOR FILM WAYS MUSHROOMS SIMON SAYS STANDING HEAT LOVE POEM #415 KINDRED SPIRITS ANDREW THE UNDERCLASS SAMPSON EXPERIENCE OF THE LIVING UNREQUITED LOVE SUBLIME WE CUT HEADS TIME WARP UNTITLED
VISUAL ART
ARTICLES / INTERVIEWS
PHOTOGRAPHY
POETRY
MUSIC
CHIEF CURATOR / LAYOUT & DESIGN: ATIBA T. EDWARDS
Atiba is a perpetual visionary that likes to do art in the dark since it is easier to see the true light.
CURATOR: ALLISON MARITZA LASKY
Allison believes that children are the best artists—they are individual universes of infinite creativity.
CURATOR: ANDREW MILENIUS
Andrew has always been on the fortunate side of the fence thinking about how the people on the other side of the fence feel, and he wants to break down that fence.
CURATOR: JOLILLIAN (JOZI) ZWERDLING
Since even you and I are made of dying stars, Jozi finds inspiration in those who understand timelessness and travel in alternate dimensions.
CONTRIBUTORS: Chukwuma Agubokwu / ANG / Sonia Louise Daves / Mike De La Rocha / Sophia Domeville / dreXeL / Atiba T. Edwards / Patrick Jöst / Allison Maritza Lasky / Dennis Manarchy / Katie Mazikins / Andrew Milenius / Sophia Nahli / Nelson Santiago / SoSoon / Jonathan B. Tucker / Stephanie Winbush / Jozi Zwerdling www.fokus.org/insight Questions and comments can be directed to contact@fokus.org Submission inquiries can be sent to insightsubmit@gmail.com INSIGHT magazine is published by F.O.K.U.S. Inc. All rights reserved on entire contents. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of F.O.K.U.S., Inc. or INSIGHT.
F.O.K.U.S. builds a global culture of creativity using the arts and art experiences that stretch across industries and disciplines. F.O.K.U.S. uses the arts to educate, empower and unite communities. We use the arts to engage communities, develop life skills that are essential to personal and professional success and to increase the awareness of living artists. F.O.K.U.S. highlights the importance of and need for the arts and creativity in life. We believe the arts enable people to rise above barriers in society by creating new ways of thinking, communicating, and interacting.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Issue 29
We are excited to have you with us as we kick-off another year of INSIGHT magazine. Jozi Zwerdling has joined the team and will help us work with artists in the D.C.-MarylandVirginia triangle and other regions. Andrew is out in Ann Arbor and helping us get work from Michigan. Allison and myself have NYC covered. This marks our seventh year of publishing INSIGHT magazine. Seven, for us, represents the consciousness and thought of the artists we have contributing to our magazine and ultimately raising the awareness of this in our pages. When we look to define a civilization, we turn to its art. Why wait to appreciate artists posthumously when we have the opportunity to gain insight into their work and artistic minds right now. INSIGHT magazine gives global insight into artists across genres, disciplines and skill levels. Too often society defines art as something that primarily is found within a building. The problem with this concept is that it limits access to and awareness of artists. Take a minute to think about your world and how many artists, traditional and non traditional, that you know of. They can range from curators in a museum, architects, chefs, designers, teachers, scientists and more. The common thread is they are shaping civilization from their own artistic approach. Art is the community.
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COVER ART
(untitled) rememories #4 SONIA LOUISE DAVIS
As an artist and a photographer, my practice is both documentary and autobiographical. I'm interested in memory, family history and collective consciousness through the stories and stuff of the past. This image is part of the rememories series, a term I borrow from Toni Morrison that suggests an active kind of remembering, centered on the idea of remembering a memory through a subjective (re) constructive process. I’m interested in how we make and remake history, and I use familiar objects from my grandparents as a way of framing the personal past within a larger cultural context. To see more of Sonia's work visit http://www.sonialouisedavis.com/ Sonia has an exhibit running Feb 1 - Sept 30 at the Aguilar Libary with an opening on May 5th at 2pm. INSIGHT | 3
JUST BE YOU by Mike De La Rocha
So don't be like everyone Just be you
[Verse 1] I see your beauty
[Bridge]
But you're not too sure
It will all all work out
You don't know your worth
If you believe in you
Don't know that you're a star
It will all all work out -
But I see you I see who you are
[Chorus] Cuz there's no one
[Chorus]
No one like you
Cuz there's no one
So don't be like everyone
No one like you
Don't be like everyone
So don't be like everyone
Don't be like everyone
Just be you
Just be you
[Verse 2]
Just be you
You've got the whole world
Just be you.
All up in your arms If you only knew Knew that you're a star [Chorus] Cuz there's no one No one like you
click here to hear "Just Be You"
Drawing inspiration from soul music, classic singer/songwriters and socially conscious artists like John Lennon and Bob Marley, Mike de la Rocha has been described as a modern day Bob Dylan with emotional lyrics and heartfelt songs that seek to heal and inspire. To hear more of his music visit http://www.mikedelarocha.com 4 | INSIGHT
MY SWAN SONG FOR FILM by Atiba T. Edwards Fed up with photography being buried in the basement of museums, photographer Dennis Manarchy plans to bring interesting artistic documents to public spaces. In a way, this is his swan song to film photography. The exhibit, "Vanishing Cultures: An American Portrait," will feature negatives that are not retouched and measure six feet by four and a half feet and prints that are two and a half stories tall. These cultures are being documented using a 35-foot long camera that will travel across America. We talked on the phone with Dennis and Chad Tepley (project manager) about Vanishing Cultures. AE: What turned on the "this is something I have to do!" light bulb? DM: When I was an apprentice photographer in NY, I saw this unbelievably powerful black and white photograph at the Museum of Modern Art. I went up to it and saw that it wasn't a photograph but a photorealistic painting by Chuck Close. I thought, “Wow does that thing have some power!" Then I went up to the photo exhibits and noticed great photos that were small and felt that he had something that we didn't understand yet photographically. The photorealistic painting just stands there and shouts at you. That always stuck with me. Over my career I tinkered with that notion. I built bigger cameras and bigger cameras and realized that the bigger I got, the closer I got to that power. Finally one day, someone told me that 'camera' is the Italian word for 'room.' So I said what if I made a room camera. It took me 3 or 4 years to accomplish this because the technology didn't yet exist. I was doing it myself and everyone liked it but I kept thinking it was impractical. Then I met Chad, a young guy that doesn't have the barriers that a lot of people have. I asked if he can help me get this thing going and he said, "Let's go for it!" It trickled along the bottom for a bit and then we started getting press from all over the world. We figured we have a shot at this - the coolest photo exhibit I could imagine. AE: How did you come up with the names Vanishing Cultures and Eye of America? DM: The project was originally called "An American Portrait: Vanishing Cultures." I've always been involved with vanishing cultures in my adult life. I've lived with an Indian Tribe for six months and a circus for a few weeks. I was thinking of going to every state and looking for very special people with great stories and faces that are from cultures that are dwindling. I presented the idea to PBS (our fiscal sponsor) and they really loved it. They looked at the title and felt it might be more dramatic if the fact that I am going for these people and cultures that are so vulnerable was more featured. So we switched the title around to "Vanishing Cultures: An American Portrait" because it seemed more to the point.
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AE: What responsibility do you think you have with this project? DM: When I set someone up in front of the big camera, it would take a couple hours to get one picture. During that time we would get to know each other. I found that people are telling these great stories that are so unique to their culture. That's why the camera became a mobile camera. You want to bring the camera to the people where they are comfortable in their home and environment. It is a portrait of someone that is really interesting and it has a certain feeling that is fresh and warm. Whenever you see a Cajun, they are always portrayed as some kind of weird snake-hunting, alligator-killing, whatever, but you don't really get into the subtlety of the culture. By being there and interacting with each culture for a week or two, we learn something about them that is not typical and that is very human. It isn't about the vanity of what they look like. It's about who they are. We go to them because we get an honesty in these portraits that doesn't happen anymore. AE: Have you mapped out the cultures you will capture? DM: It is totally evolving, especially with all the social media. Just the other day we found out one of the first Red Tails, Virgil Poole, lives near us. He came in and we shot a documentary and a big portrait of him. We just got a call about the last living Flying Aces. So people are calling us with suggestions. I have thirty cultures that I have already earmarked - Native Americans, Cajuns, Appalachians, Working Cowboys in Powder River, Idaho. AE: What is the plan for Vanishing Cultures once you have finished your journey? CT: Ideally, our first exhibit would show the works indoor and outdoor. Beyond that there could be an indefinite amount of time that it travels the country shedding light on some areas that haven't received enough attention like Detroit, Michigan or New Orleans' Ninth Ward. Areas that have been really hit hard by the economy. Why not put a shot of adrenaline into them with an amazing outdoor exhibit and bring tourism revenue to them and have some effect on bringing that economy out. It can go on for several years in the U.S. and ultimately we would love to take this to other countries as well. What's so amazing about this entire project is that we are bringing ordinary cultures to people in the city and around the country that really otherwise wouldn't know about them. AE: Could there be a Vanishing Cultures of the world project? CT: Yes. We would love to go to international and feature a lot of the cultures all over the world. DM: The same thing that is happening here is happening everywhere. China has been talking to us about this project. They have 56 minority cultures that are vanishing. It is even more dramatic in China than here in the U.S.
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AE: "Art is..."? DM: Once you give someone the definition of an art, you've destroyed the concept because that predisposes that it has to fall into that definition. I think art has to be evolving. Art is in ourselves. It is much more pervasive in ourselves than we can ever imagine. CT: Art is an unexpected surprise to an individual's senses. It comes in so many forms, if you walk into a kitchen and smell the amazing smell of the perfect dish or listen to the perfect symphony. all images courtesy of Dennis Manarchy
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Visit http://www.thefpac.org to see a video overview of Vanishing Cultures, sketches of the exhibit and more images of the Eye of America camera. Also, to see an exclusive rendition of the camera and its various parts, visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2060332949/ vanishing-cultures-by-dennis-manarchy You can view photography from Dennis Manarchy at http://www.manarchy.com/ Atiba Edwards is the co-founder of F.O.K.U.S. and works across art disciplines and genres with a passion for photography, sneakers, cars, cooking and curating life experiences.
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WAYS
by Patrick Jรถst This work is exploring the different paths of people following their very personal intentions and - by accident - drawing lines of their near fate, as well as the aftermath of their deeds, into the light by causing shadows. In terms of fate, it allows a small preview into the future. Time appears to be recorded and predictable for a short moment. 14 | INSIGHT
Ways, 2011. Digital photograph The passion for visual perception belongs to Patrick – born May 1974 in Mßnster, Germany. Since his childhood days, he has been enthralled by the possibility to document a single moment in all its details and shades. Patrick works as a photographer in portraiture and fashion, as well as in artistic photography. To see more work, visit http://www.pjoest.com INSIGHT | 15
MUSHROOM AND ROSES
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by Katie Mazikins "Mushrooms and Roses" is a surreal vector portrait of singer/songwriter Janelle Monae. While the actual image itself doesn't have much to do with the idea of community, it's impact on me and my work does. I posted this piece in the "fan community" section of Janelle's website thinking maybe a few fans would see it and nothing more. I couldn't have been more wrong; not only did many fans see it, but Janelle herself saw it and liked it enough to use it as her twitter design for most of 2010! This work helped me get in touch with a fantastic community - Janelle's fans. I still do design work for them, most recently helping them design a website for World Aid's Day as well as a Fandroid Community website.
Mushroom and Roses, 2010. Digital, 18 x 24 in.
Katie Mazikins is a graphic designer and illustrator studying at The Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Visit http://www.behance.net/mazikins to view more of her work. INSIGHT | 17
SIMON SAYS as told to Allison Maritza Lasky Rebecca Simon is an up and coming visual artist with a skillset that ranges from subdued lines to vibrant, human topographies. I met with Rebecca to talk about her inventive process, current work and new studio space within the Brooklyn Navy Yard. My painterly approach to figuration is through an intimate scale and psychological lens. While the subject matter stems from various personal experiences, narratives, or issues, it often also embodies larger ideas surrounding social constructs and cultural identity. The figures I bring into the paintings are often victims of circumstance. The paintings point to the absurdity and strangeness of gender roles, social conventions, and cultural constructions. The work conveys these themes in subtle ways; ranging from a critique of the opulence of Jewish ritual and the downtrodden Wall Street banker, to exploring the awkwardness of social dynamics, and themes of femininity and power in contemporary society. Each of the paintings ultimately act as metaphors for who we are, what we’re about, and the tragicomic elements of human experience- especially as they avoid drawing finite conclusions or having beginnings, middles, and ends. Instead, with both poignancy and humor, they are enigmatic narratives that remain open. Above all else, these paintings are about the process of finding meaning through the medium of paint. In regards to my new studio space – boy, is it incredible! The Brooklyn Navy Yard [BNY] is a huge industrial park that's still in use as a port and shipbuilding facility, and I know there's a ton of history surrounding the yard. Basically, it expanded after WWII and now there's a ton of different things going on that I'm really only beginning to find out about. Film shoots are ongoing, the Guggenheim houses some of their art collection in one of the buildings, Saturday Night Live keeps some of their sets there. There are furniture manufacturers, ship repairers, architectural designers, etc. – not to mention, an adorable coffee shop, a bourbon distillery, a museum about the history of BNY, a totally green building with an exhibition space. It’s almost a wonder how they continue to create and innovate beautiful uses from this old, raw arena. It is a truly exciting physical space and community to be a part of. It is even more exciting for me that I’ve now moved into a studio space that I share with 4 other artists whom I went to school with. Inspiration comes every day while I work in my studio with city skyline views and sundrenched window panes surrounding me. I am totally looking forward to exploring BNY and my art even more! AML: “Art is…”? RS: Art is about how I translate ideas into a painting. But art, in general, can be anything that someone intends art to be. Whether or not it's good or interesting is another story! 18 | INSIGHT
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Rebecca Simon is also a pre-school teacher in Brooklyn. To see more of her work visit http://www.rebeccasimonart.com
The Cynosure, 2011. Oil on Canvas, 9 x 12 in. (page 19) The Fall, 2009. Oil on Canvas, 20 x 24 in. (right) The Dancer (with blue moon boots), 2008. Oil on Canvas, 30 x 40 in. (page 22) Allison Maritza Lasky is the co-president of the NYC chapter of F.O.K.U.S. She is passionate about marrying children's imagination with the aging population through art. INSIGHT | 21
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STANDING HEAT by Andrew Milenius The Work Gallery’s most recent exhibition seeks to remind visitors of the larger community we as humans are a part of - the animal kingdom. “Standing Heat: Animals in Proximity,” features the work of two visiting artists, Lee Deigaard from New Orleans and Kathy High from New York. Both Lee and Kathy established animals as the protagonist in their pieces following the process of exploring relationships between human and animals. Their artwork is presented through a variety of mediums, including the photos they captured that are shown in this story. Lee’s portraits of horses (her favorite animal) and deer, taken with a traditional camera and a motion sensing camera, respectively, show life from their vantage point as a way for humans to see an unfamiliar view of the environment. Kathy’s underwater focus forces us to view photos of animals like algae and microscopic organisms, whose existence we may have forgotten, though they keep our entire ecosystem afloat. In a stark contrast, she collaborated with her cat for a series of images of creatures her pet brought back and lovingly left on her patio. Her final image, the unlucky fox on the side of the road, is meant to remind us of the nature of our place in the animal community, and how it may be more invasive than we realize. The Work Gallery continues to be an eclectic space to share art aesthetics and encourage visitors to see more in the world than they did prior to walking through the museum doors. This particular exhibit appropriately aligns with this greater experience as it guides the visitor through a larger network of interactions- those conversations between humans and animals through art . Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Work Gallery is operated by the University of Michigan School of Art and Design.
photographs by Andrew Milenius
Andrew has always been on the fortunate side of the fence thinking about how the people on the other side of the fence feel, and he wants to break down that fence. INSIGHT | 23
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LOVE POEM #415 by Jonathan B. Tucker you say our footprints disappear in the sand i say they get swallowed by the ocean and our memories are out there in the deep if you want to find them i have some goggles and love to swim but sometimes it’s too cold
Jonathan B. Tucker is a poet, educator, and coach of the DC Youth Slam Team. Two-time winner of the Community Oriented Underground Poet (COUP) Award from the National Underground Spokenword Poetry Awards, JBT is passionate about using poetry as a community organizing tool. His book, I Got the Matches, and other poems are available at http://www.jonathanbtucker.com. 28 | INSIGHT
KINDRED SPIRITS by Stephanie Winbush Miss you so much, Feel that you’re the one for me, Thought that you could tell me anything, What I’m going to do is give you time and space so that you work things out on your own, I know you can hear my thoughts and prayers, I’m willing to forgive you and no matter what, I feel like I need you and sometimes just so I can get through the day, I want you to find your way back to me and you are going to find your way, We were falling for each other because I felt it and so did you, Whatever it is I wish you would tell me, Feel like we need each other because we are kindred spirits.
Stephanie Winbush is from Havelock, North Carolina. She loves writing poetry and taking pictures.
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ANDREW
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by Sophia Domeville This was created in memory of a close friend, Andrew Donaldson, who passed away last year of a heart attack at the age of 32. He is never too far from my thoughts and I felt it was only right to remember him. 100% of the proceeds from the purchase of this piece will be donated to the American Heart Association in his memory. This is a daily reminder of how fragile our lives are and of the keen awareness of the importnace of health that is necessary in our community. The death rate within my generation between the ages of 25-35 is at its highest due to poor health choices, lack of knowledge and misscommunication. I hope through my piece, I can continue spreading information about Heart Disease and one day hopefully save the life of someone within my community.
Andrew, 2011. Acrylic on canvas, 54 x 54 in. (right)
Sophia Domeville, A Studio Arts graduate of The College of New Rochelle, has done live painting shows which also included the usage of partially nude models at SOBs, the State Room, and Santos Party House. Sophia's work can be viewed at Jade Eatery & Lounge, Forrest Hills until March 1st. Her motto, “Think Outside the Box,� shows her talents as a leader, planner & artist. See more of her works at http://www.about.me/theblackvenus .
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THE UNDERCLASS by SoSoon The premise of the song is to pay homage to the people who keep New York aka the city that never sleeps, awake - The Underclass. [Verse 1]
When the clubs let out in the heart of Manhattan, and the never sleeping city settles down for a napping, somebody’s gotta empty all the heavy metal baskets, separate the people from the sea of yellow traffic. Sweep the trash of the upper working classmen, scars from the broken champagne glasses, whatever happens he handles it passive, cause while we play the front he takes the rut on the backend.
when you’re working for a minimum wages, and never spend a moment aggravated he should be congratulated. [Chorus]
New York City nights, bright lights pretty sights, Somebody’s gotta keep it looking all pretty right, when the cities at a stand still they keep it moving, its a fucked up job but somebody gotta do it. [Verse 2]
You can find em in Asian, east and west Indian communities, African immigrants looking for unity, You barely see him cause he's not European, say what you wanna they don't care about when something needs cleaning is the only your scrutiny, time you need em, all they care about is a better opportunity. you don't wanna be him, his work is complicated, While you and me complain about working your hands are to smooth to do a job so everyday, degrading. they taking our jobs, and doing it for nothing, cause when you come from nothing, a little But he stays on his shit no complaining, equals something, to you he's just another spick nigger but to they maximize the minimal and minimize me he's courageous consumption. 32 | INSIGHT
He nurtures his children, and cares for his wife, cause all he cares about is a better way of life, he lives within his means, he gives what he receives, He ends his day the same everyday real fatigued. The cities still awake while everyone is sleeping, he sleeps in the day and awakes in the evening, he never calls out, vacation's an illusion it’s a fucked up job but somebody’s gotta do it.
The open MIC hosts and the open MIC performers, the open MIC attendants who stay just to support us, the dudes 12 to 12 hand to hand on the corner, the MTA employees the backbone the aura. Of the never sleeping city, the apple, its core, the folks who go unseen, never honored or adorned take a look at history we're the allure of New York, clock alarms unlock the bombs, they're the calm before the war comes.
[Verse 3]
This goes out to the caboose conductor, the transit authorities, the housekeepers-90% of em minorities, the homeless musicians, the talent-less beggars, the Ahmeds and papis at the one stop bodegas. Busboys, bartenders, yellow cab drivers, we still show 'em love even though they pass by us, the nurses and Nannies, who deal with little white pricks, the project janitors who work upon the night shift.
click here to hear "The Underclass"
SoSoon, an acronym for Sound Of Something Out Of Nothing, is an emcee/songwriter. The mission of the self proclaimed “Spike Lee of Hip Hop” is simple: to develop a diverse brand that is reflective of what he calls “The Nieuw New Yourke. Visit www.sosoonmusic.com to stay updated. INSIGHT | 33
SAMPSON
by Chukwuma Agubokwu In 'Sampson', the actor, better yet, the acted-upon, experiences imbalance. They have thoroughly submitted to the weakening/ manipulation of their own identity and image to be more readily accepted into a community that exhorts very specific standards for appearance. The question here is if the sitter has chosen voluntarily to assimilate in this way, or if it has been forced upon them. Is it possible for both to be taking place concurrently?
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Sampson is a rumination on the depth of cultural perceptions and associations within the American psyche and how these can result in hegemonic situations. Here this is manifested in the idea that, to appear what is considered professional by common social standards, a person possessing a hair texture dissimilar to that of the majority culture has to cut it all off. It then calls in to question whether, like the titular Sampson of the well-known Bible story, such an act can metaphorically represent a loss or gain of some sort of pride or power or even both simultaneously. Chukwuma Agubokwu was born 1990 in Lagos, Nigeria and currently lives and works in DC Metro Area. He is the founder of Colon:y Art Collective. Visit http://www.chukwumaa.com to see more work. INSIGHT | 35
EXPERIENCES OF THE LIVING by ANG
Green Faces, 2011. Acrylic on canvas,30 x 40 in. (right) Yankee Red Cap, 2011. Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 in. (page 31) Off Duty, 2011. Acrylic and chalk pastel on wood, 32 x 42 in. (page 34) ANG currently resides in DC as a working artist in pursuit of her MFA at Howard University. Her work is inspired by her environment and the experiences that connect her directly to her community. The goal of her art work is to create an understanding and appreciation of the ever expanding black community. To see more of ANG's work, please visit http://www.cargocollective.com/betteroffbroke 36 | INSIGHT
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UNREQUITED LOVE by Sophia Nahli I created “Unrequited Love” as a form of self expression and liberation: the visual voice of a closeted lesbian. It is an exhibit of desperation and explores the need to find hope, belonging, acceptance and love. As an African American woman raised in a Christian household I experienced anxiety, fear and self hatred before I found the courage to live openly as a proud and powerful lesbian individual. I chose to portray Jesus in “Unrequited Love” to show the rejection and hatred gays face from society and religion, and my longing for spiritual love and acceptance. I wanted to explore the idea of this religious figure having a connection to the gay community due to the extremity of hatred presented to each: Gays at the present, and Jesus when he was hung at Calvary. This piece is for anyone fighting for equality, who is working to make the world a more loving place. For queer individuals who are struggling to live freely and proudly as the beautiful people they are; who’ve found a community of art, love, acceptance and expression, and for those who are still searching. As an artist I use photography to examine culture, identity, individuality, self-expression and as a method of education. I’m in the process of creating a body of photographs that explores images of women, sexuality and breaking free of exploitative roles. This piece will be an extension of “Unrequited Love”
Sophia is a Chicago based visual artist and educator from Los Angeles, CA. She currently works as a teaching artist with Step Up Women's Network, is a teaching assistant at Marwen assisting a video course for their winter term, and is a photographer for Sixty Inches From Center: The Chicago Arts Archive & Collective Project. Sophia is studying Photography and Women's Studies at Columbia College Chicago. Visit http://www.sophianahli.com to see more of her work. 40 | INSIGHT
Unrequited Love, self-portrait, 2011. Digital photograph
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SUBLIME
by dreXel
Sublime, 2011. Mixed media, 20 x 20 in.
This is one of nine in the Geisha/Oiran series. Oiran are Japanese courtesans. The series is currently on exhibit in Las Vegas. As long as I have hands to create with, I'm gonna do that. My goal is to inspire, collaborate, and put beauty into the world. Any medium, any substrate, any time. To see more of her work, visit http://www.iamdrexel.com 42 | INSIGHT
WE CUT HEADS by Atiba T. Edwards "A barbershop for the modern man of leisure." This is the motto of Frank's Chop Shop, the flagship of Frank Magazine - both of which promote counter cultures and lifestyles. The business chose the barbershop route over a boutique that sold sneakers or street wear, hoping to avoid a narrow customer base, foster better dialogue and create a shared learning environment with people from many different communities. We sat down with Mr. Bee, the head barber, to discuss the barbershop's place in the Lower East Side and the community at large. ATE: What is the importance of the barbershop in relation to the community? BEE: The barbershop plays a pivotal role in the community because it functions as a hub of information. Essentially, gentlemen from any walk of life can come here and get a really good hair cut and walk out looking nice, but at the same time get information on what is happening in your community, since everyone comes here and talks about what's going on. That can range from a party, to a business being launched, to gossip. There are a lot of people that might not interact on a daily basis in the outside world, but when you come into these doors you are all on the same page and hopefully learn from one another. The idea was that to set us apart from any other barbershop, you have to be able to do anybody's hair. If the business man wants the Mad Men Don Draper hair cut you have to be able to do that. If he wants the Steve Harvey line up you have to be able to do that too. I am most proud of and stand behind all the barbers that we hire, because they meet that criteria and standard. All of the barbers here have a very interesting story about how they came to the shop. For example, Hiro moved here from Japan six months back. He was cutting hair in a subway station using battery power and I came across his path. He is a go-getter. I can respect that and I put him on the team. They are all, most importantly, very positive energy. It is very much family. ATE: What is the meaning of the Chop Shop's motto, “A barbershop for the modern man of leisure�? BEE: That means a gentleman that wants to come in, feel relaxed and good about himself and know that he is going to get taken care of. As opposed to a shop where you pay $10 INSIGHT | 43
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and are in and out in 10 minutes. You are also not going to get hit in the head, like at a high-end salon that's charging $100. So we try to fit somewhere in between there, and that would be for the modern man of leisure. ATE: Describe the Chop Shop's experience over the last 6 years in this community. BEE: From the beginning when it was quiet, and we were trying to get put on, to getting a lit bit of buzz, to then starting to get attention from major media publications and TV. All of that has been really interesting to watch happen. I'd like to think that it has given a little bit of an identity to this area of the Lower East Side (LES). The neighborhood itself has dramatically changed in the last 6 years - LES and NYC in general. It's interesting to watch a neighborhood that has cache because of its low cost of living and closeness to downtown, and how you get creative artists types that want to come to live here. That isn't in the equation anymore. It is crazy to see a million dollar condominium next to an old tenement. From a business point of view, it is fantastic because there's money coming into the neighborhood and there's new money to be made. Of course that's the objective - you want to keep generating new money. Of course there are a lot of old timers and people that have been here years who are upset because they are being pushed out. That's a negative because anytime a neighborhood is built off of the character and fiber of those people, and all of a sudden that's why people are drawn to it, and now they can't live there anymore, so you have the new guard come in. I generally have no gripes. I think there are good people down here regardless of if you have been here for your whole life or just came from Pennsyltucky and are just trying to find your way. That is the way of NYC - constantly in flux and transforming itself. I don't look at it as ‘old NY is dead.’ There will always be people down here who are going to keep things interesting and moving. There has been dramatic change, but you got to embrace change, bottom line, and we do. We welcome everyone with open arms. You have to show respect when you come down here. It is still LES. ATE: What has been the evolution of the art of barbering? BEE: A lot of people don't realize that years ago, barbers did everything. They were the doctors, the dentists, the barber and the psychologist. The barber pole itself was actually a symbol because of bloody rags from when they were doing things like bloodletting or surgery. They would put those rags out to dry on a pole and the wind would wrap them around the pole. Now we just focus on hair cutting primarily. I do think that hair cutting is a very creative art form. You have a certain freedom of expression. 46 | INSIGHT
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Like anything, when you are first introduced to something that takes a certain set of skills - there will be some entry-level ideas. Once you start understanding motion and the way things fall, it opens up interpretation to a barber. Now it is also about fine-tuning and honing what I've learned and being able to do that consistently every day. You can't have a bad day in a barbershop because that guy isn't getting back in your chair. That's where the respect for the trade comes in, because there is a certain discipline. You have to have a respect for what you are doing and solid listening skills. I've had guys tell me things they probably haven't told their wives. It is not just a haircut, because there is a level of trust and respect between you and your customer. If you have a straight blade to some guy's neck he has to feel comfortable with you and trust you. ATE: "Art is..."? BEE: Art to me is a complicated word. It is like asking somebody what is the meaning of God. I feel like art is the closest thing we have to the essence of creation. Art isn't just a painting or a sculpture. Art is everything and everywhere: The trees in the park, architecture, a subway train, ambiance, us as human beings. I know that sounds a little deep and maybe pretentious, but I honestly do believe that. The sort of laymen term of art is something that everyone has inside of them. I meet people who say, "Oh you're an artist. I can't even draw." That doesn't necessarily mean you are not an artist, because there is an art to everything. There is an art of conversation. An art of poetry. I think that art is the closest thing we have to the creator and it is the greatest gift we've been given. It is also a manifestation of everything. Sometimes art can be self-destructive. Sometimes art can be positive. It is supposed to challenge and create communication and get reaction and impact. To me that is art. It is all of the above. Art is beautiful. Art is everything and everywhere.
photographs by Atiba T. Edwards Visit http://www.frankschopshop.com to scheudle you cut, buy a Frank's fitted cap and see the Chop Shop's blog. Atiba Edwards is the co-founder of F.O.K.U.S. and works across art disciplines and genres with a passion for photography, sneakers, cars, cooking and curating life experiences. 48 | INSIGHT
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TIME WARP by Jozi Zwerdling
mosaics can wake up imprinted in me
the kind of sunlight that bleaches
we can both have dusty feet
my armhair and brings out the red glitter
dirty toenails
so close to the outside of my flesh
fall into dreamy lethargies
long grass and beyond that water
wake up in lace curtains and sunshine
more water more water
sand between the sheets
boats to hold thousands
breathe past the piece that is my stubborn chip
rays glowing dying leaf red through her cloudy gritty hair
refusing to let me see me chip
trees that sprawl
she tells me that thank god I’m thick
house universes drip drop furry tentacles
because it’s good for the eyes
we are its feet
and I rediscover
turning my head leftwards swiping at tears like mosquitoes you are not my girlfriend
my flesh full and taut handfuls of something like good warm liquid i can hold onto all of this.
and it doesn’t always have to be that to mean beloved Jozi Zwerdling lives in the DC metropolitan area, where she works in various capacities as a social activist, artist enabler, community builder, and story teller both independently and for the organizations Teaching For Change and City at Peace DC. You can see more of her writing on her blog http://talebearer88.tumblr.com 50 | INSIGHT
UNTITLED
by Nelson Santiago
Untitled, 2011. Mixed media, 36 x 24 in.
This reminds me of my youth when I was a full time graffiti writer. I started when I was 13 years old and used to sneak out of my house to go bombing (tagging) with my friends Nelson Santiago is a Puerto Rican New York City artist who was born in Harlem and raised in the Bronx. Since the age of 4 years old Nelson has loved art. Today, Nelson has broadened his art experiences to many different art venues and opportunities where he builds with his community and others. INSIGHT | 51
Thank you to all of the contributing artists in this issue: ANG / Jonathan B. Tucker / Sonia Louise Daves / dreXeL / Mike De La Rocha / Chukwuma Agubokwu / Atiba T. Edwards / Patrick Jรถst / Katie Mazikins / Allison Maritza Lasky / Sophia Domeville / Andrew Milenius / Sophia Nahli / Nelson Santiago / SoSoon / Stephanie Winbush / Jozi Zwerdling Community was the theme of issue 29. Community in the sense of how one organizes the space around them for navigation; ways communities and individuals interact; how we choose our communities; what the word community means to you and the role of communities in your life. Feel free to send your art that responds to the question "What is your community and how do you interact with it?" to insightsubmit@gmail.com
www.fokus.org/insight Questions and comments can be directed to contact@fokus.org Submission inquiries can be sent to insightsubmit@gmail.com INSIGHT magazine is published by F.O.K.U.S. Inc. All rights reserved on entire contents. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of F.O.K.U.S., Inc. or INSIGHT.