THE BROTHERWISE DISPATCH, VOL.2, ISSUE#25, SEPT-NOV/2017
Stephen McInnis is a young contemporary Visual Artist based in New York City. McInnis creates Art which tackles a wide variety of subject matter with an unsettling poetic conversational aesthetic that manifests an appreciation for the Beauty of human subjectivity while disclosing an ongoing search for spiritual Truth.
Brotherwise Dispatch – How would you begin to describe the aesthetic form and of your Art in relation to your choice of subject matter that provides your Art with its aesthetic weight?
Stephen McInnis – My art expresses the confusion I feel. As a young man growing up Christian I was somewhat forced into a specific way of thinking. Questions weren't really encouraged. It was more so about memorizing rituals and pretending to be content. It wasn't just with religion though; it was with love and other basic but very important aspects of life. My art expresses my sporadic behavior and how I feel on an everyday basis. Sometimes I plan a piece to the tee, similar to my days. There are other times where I wake up, have a crazy idea and just do it. One of the most common questions is whether art imitates life, or if life imitates art. The answer to that question I don't think will ever be known. You can draw from both worlds to add to the other, and sometimes it doesn't it feel like the two worlds are separate. My loose and chaotic brush strokes helps viewers to feel deeper into my abstract views on this experience we call life. Everything isn't easy to digest, but there's a piece of beauty hidden somewhere inside of it. Life isn't just smiles and sunshine, there's rain, but it allows us to appreciate the dualistic nature of everything.
BD – In what sense does your decision to be an Artist inform the way you relate to the world of today?
SM – As an artist we can't hide from the world around us because it's where we get our inspiration. How you grow up will definitely have an impact on how you create. Your home, school, and everything else in between can dictate your subject matter. Poor people have a far different perception than those who are well off. Perception is key when it comes to creation. I view issues in the world such as racism, our food supply, and religion as perfect candidates for a piece. Others may not see things like that as a problem, and in turn, ignore them. There's nothing wrong with that because we need people to touch base on everything. What I relate to doesn't necessarily have to be what you do, as long as we find something we connect to. There's no separation between my environment, whether it be physical or mental, and my art work.
BD – What meaning do you attribute to the fact that the singularity of your own lived experience as young Black man speaks to the human condition of us all through your Art?
SM – As a young black man I put my experiences both good and bad into my work. I don't think I've ever experienced flat out racism personally, but I know it's there I guess. I know that the system is kind of designed for me to fail, and I might have to work a little harder than others. I don't see that as a setback or anything negative though. We're strong and that's why we have this chip on our shoulder because the Creator knows we can handle it. Literally manhandle that chip until it crumbles at our will. Even though I am a part of a much larger community than just being Black, I am what I am. I was created this way for a reason and it's something I can't ignore. I feel how different I am and I see how different I am. The similarities outweigh the differences by far, but I touch base on both which is necessary for our growth as humanity.
BD – How would you describe any artistic influences on your work which have truly furthered your own sense of creativity?
SM – Rappers inspire me with their storytelling. Some people describe my work as having a poetic feel to it and maybe that's why. I like to create with a purpose. A pretty picture will be a pretty picture, but when there's a story it makes it even more beautiful. I'm inspired by God, Jah, Allah, or whatever else you want to label the Creator of the grand design. He/She/Them? created these beautiful beings (us) with individual talents, journeys, and purpose to add to the world. I'm inspired by the most beautiful Art piece of all time, which is life. Encrypted with the tremendously deep meanings and hidden messages, life will never be 100 percent figured out. That's what a beautiful painting is to me. You appreciate the beauty, you question what's happening, then just return to appreciation of the beauty. You can't escape the beauty of it all, because it's everywhere. I want my Art to resonate and stimulate imaginations.
BD – What kinds of questions about the human condition and lived Black experience do you feel or hope your Art inspires?
SM – I think we all have a few questions we would like answered. Well, think we might want answered I should say. There are things to be pondered on and things to be accepted. There are things that can be changed and things that may not ever. Why don't we care about our health? Why are our individual spiritual journeys limited to the confines of a single religion? Why are we here? I want to inspire these questions. I want people to think deeply about their life. But I also want people to realize that it's okay if you never get the answers to those questions. Some do and some don't maybe you weren't meant to know. One question we can answer is that if we die or not. The fact that we do, should help us to realize it's healthy to ponder, it's healthy to debate, but what's more important is to appreciate the experience we call life.
This has been another one of our BROTHERWISE FIVE interview series, during which THE BROTHERWISE DISPATCH interrogates intellectuals, artists and activists with five probing questions to the delight of our readers.
On behalf of Stephen McInnis and THE BROTHERWISE DISPATCH,
Peace.
-A. Shahid Stover
(this interview of Stephen McInnis for THE BROTHERWISE DISPATCH was conducted by A. Shahid Stover through email correspondence from September 14th – 18th of 2017)
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