Artist Statement
I show up. I listen.
I live life artfully. I do what moves me.
I pay attention to dust motes & dinosaur bones.
I enshrine the laughter of small children.
I talk to ghosts. I see the future.
I wear the past as my armor.
I show up. I listen.
I live life artfully. I do what moves me.
I pay attention to dust motes & dinosaur bones.
I enshrine the laughter of small children.
I talk to ghosts. I see the future.
I wear the past as my armor.
When said aloud, Alt.Black is “Alt. Dot. Black.”
I describe myself as an Alt.Black artist who uses text, performance, video and other visual expressions to communicate what the space between molecules in the air wish for you to know. However, the amount of research that goes into a single image is attached to over 30 years actively researching Black and Indigenous history, culture, spirituality, in addition to, an above average interest in botany, biology, physics, anthropology and the odd mathematical concept.
Alt-dot-Black firmly places artists working experimentally during the cusp between Usenet, MOOs, MUDs, BBS, and current social media platforms. Alt.Black existed before dot-anything and especially .coms. Alt.Black will exist after.
Alt.Black pays homage to the many wonderful Black experimental artists who existed before Afro-Punk was an online zine rather than a lifestyle. Before the revival of Afro Surrealism, AfroFuturism and any of the re-emerging Afro Alternative art forms.
Alt.Black understands nothing real is new and can never be too old.
Alt-dot-Black celebrates the amazing artists, such as, but never limited to, Adrienne Kennedy, Octavia Butler, Eartha Kitt, Sun Ra, Julius Eastman, A Band Called Death, Betty Davis, Grace Jones, and/or Zeinabu irene Davis, all of whom had the courage to show up and honor their muses, regardless of Harlem Renaissances, Black Arts Movements or whatever any other Black Body defined as relevant art making.
Alt.Black embraces my ancestors when they arrived from Panama and Barbados in a two box America which only left open spaces for Black or White. It rejects assimilation. It celebrates the refusal of White Supremacy. It claims our African forebears. It chooses solidarity with Blackness, sometimes at our own expense. It remembers, recalls and recollects.
Alt.Black centers my Blackness while leaving room for my many layered identity.
As an artist, thematically or by blending genres, a consistent theme has emerged. How and why do we perform ourselves on a daily basis? In any situation a person can be a: worker, color, parent, gender, artist, class, friend, educational level, lover. At all times, the layers of our identity overlap.
In any human encounter, our identity intersects and/or bounces off other people. In any given context, whether consciously or unconsciously, everyone makes assumptions; acts on opinions; or performs behavior scripted by their personal narrative. Alt.Black ruminates upon this consistently. Alt.Black doesn’t get stuck there. Alt.Black attempts to envision a positive solution. Alt.Black squints into the future.
Alt.Black saw all time as right now and in a minute.
Alt.Black is a conjuring, a blessing, a way, a vision, an immersion into a consciousness {Black.}
Alt.Black executes the vision regardless. Alt-dot-Black uses all the resources at hand. Alt-dot-Black makes do, but, prefers choice.
Alt.Black is peaceful that it is what it is.