MY APPRENTICE....THE SUPER HERO...(forgotten post)

....You never reeeaaalllyy know someone..until you find out who they are.

TODAY'S MATHEMATICS...

ART BASEL AND/OR BUST........!

.....So I'm fresh off the plane from ART BASEL 2010...and I'm happy to report that (STREET) ART is alive and well. The trip was an impromptu excursion to promote our next venture "NOOH CONCEPTS", of which the creative minds behind Gammah Graphix, ARTofJAHMANE, KULTJAH and numerous conceptual paradigms, will produce a line of home furnishings and decore inspired by contemporary interior design with an artsy, global...textural overtone. Not having been to AB (Art Basel) in the many years of it's existence...we felt like now would be a perfect time to see and participate in all the hub bub...

Naturally, as renegade ARTIST's should, we printed up a bunch of mock AB flyers and business cards...set up a website...scraped up some plane tickets...reserved a crash spot and a rental (2011 Cadillac STS...lol) and took to the sky....
Upon arrival, I noticed something unusually different in the Miami night air....and after navigating over to the bustling Design District/Wynwood Art District at around 12:30am...I could also smell it....the scent of aerosol (and barbecue ribs..lol) filled the air as Street Artist from around the globe (shout out to my west coast bredren) descended on Miami like an Art plague of many infectious styles...from large scale murals, paste ups and sculptural work...to sticker walls and straight graffiti burners...




...The first night pretty much set the tone for the rest of the trip...not that I was surprised to see such a strong influence of Street Art on the inner and outer walls of raw, make-shift industrial spaces....to even the foo fooiest...high end galleries...but the irony of it all accompanied us as we partied and politic-ed as much as possible. Unlike the exploits of NYC artists in the early 80's, this wave of Street Art appreciation appears to be firmly grounded...perhaps the influx of suburban "Art" students...or palatable misfits like Shepard Fairy...or even Banksy have somehow made this rebellious art-form that crept from the souls of Black and Latino urban youth more...um...acceptable (?)....or maybe its just time and evolution (?)... I just couldn't help but notice that those mostly benefiting from this evolution are other than that from which this art-form evolved....hmmmm (I'll build on that at a later date).

However, Several shows have sprung up around Art Basel (Pulse, NADA, Scope...etc) as well as multiple events, receptions and parties....and it would be impossible to take it "ALL" in...so our agenda was based on getting a grasp on where we could fit in for an "official" showing next year...oh...and of course...take some time out to hit up a few NOOH CONCEPTS glyphs....
...Definite highlights were...the Wynwood Walls...partying our asses off at the Haiti Art Expo (thanks for the tip Rachelle...La Belle Vie) ...the Mr. Brainwash installation on Collins...a piece by Charles Pfahl ....checkers late night...our Cadillac...dining at Park Central...our local connects (peace Nadia)...thrift store shopping...Walgreens (will)...making good contacts...BIG PIECES ...and inspiration.

Needless to say, I shot all photo-documentation with my phone camera (forgot camera charger) which actually worked...(see drive by shooting pics)...and we made it back to Gotham ready to hit the streets...
PICS 1: DRIVE BY SHOOTING - ART BASEL
PICS 2: DRIVE BY SHOOTING - ART BASEL

THROWBACK KULTJAH LAB COMMERCIAL...

TODAY'S MATHEMATICS...

SUMMER MADNESS...

....So summer is officially a wrap, and I guess the best part about being an Independent designer/business owner is being able to decide what and when you want to produce. I know the proverbs "your only hot as your last hit" and "keep feedin' em..and feedin' em and feedin' em" are great mantras to create by, however...I can't front...for the first time in maybe...10 or so years I've been uninspired with "things"...yet so inspired by "thangs" (Artists are living contradictions...fuk it.) Maybe it was the recession, or the over saturation of an already crowded (Art/Fashion) market.... or the Wall Street Bailout mixed with that Balloon Boy fiasco (whenever that was) combined with a lil' pop culture "ignance" (you choose an event)...but I think subconsciously before the summer even kicked in...my creative engines were pre-programmed for cruise control.

Thus...I've been taking deep breaths, studying alot, laying crazy low...planing, plotting and perfecting...traveling, trying to chill wit fam, friends and foes...(know thy enemy)...only to emerge feeling swedish massaged, silk robed ready for the world. Several projects on the horizon...KULTJAH...ARTofJAHMANE...collabos...and much more...if we fell outta touch...get at me...if yah mad...it'll pass...stay tuned....(master teachers build and destroy!)

P.S....coming soon..."NOOH CONCEPTS" home furnishings and decor.

KULTJAH: LEGEND OF THE SUNPALM PT. 1

.....It all began in a time, space and ghetto far....far away. The concept of KULTJAH and the Legend of the Sunpalm was born from the raw energy and creative survival skills refined by a small group of artistic individuals. A Hip-Hop renaissance was taking place, and the same street culture that made Gucci, Louis Vuitton, POLO, Versace, Levi's, Nike, Hilfiger and a host of foreign and domestic brands millions of dollars, as well as "Hood" household names, was turning it's focus & funds inward....creating a whole new genre of fashion. Regardless of what the average...conservative/tea bag(gin)... um...party member....or cultural "scientist" may think, Hip-Hop, Urban, Rap, Street, Ghetto...(yeah Ghetto!...stay tuned for "Stay out of the Ghetto" post) Culture is the most relevant, powerful Culture to emerge from the human psyche in centuries. We can debate for days, but the Music, Language, Art, Style and "Ways" of Hip-Hop have become more than just a global phenomenon, but a force that emanates from skid row to wall street...from the slave quarters to the white house...and beyond...

Out of this new era of Hip-Hop energy came the lifestyle (brand) of KULTJAH. The late eighty's / early ninety's was a creative incubator for street entrepreneurs... legal..not so legal ... commercial ...underground etc...whatever it took to express yourself and perhaps get paid...in full. Naturally, as "street" artists', we found ourselves expressing our talents all over the Tri-State area... walls, trains, planes, automobiles and anything that stood still long enough to get bombed... so when we started tagging t-shirts, jean jackets, hats and various garments as a means to make ends and friends...twas like the stars aligned....and KULTJAH - "Hand Crafted Rugged Dezigns" started to take shape.

TO BE CONTINUED....