I am having this problem, it is one that I have experienced from the time I started to professionally
push pencils. It is called the gated community syndrome. I really hated the idea but I could understand it. You notice it when you get into an endeavor like the arts and wish to seek out fellows, comrades, who are doing the same as you, perhaps even mentors who are experienced. You come to the place where they gather and ring the bell, get handed a membership application and fee envelope.Then you look over the brochures and can't relate to the pictures of activities, folks bobbin and hob-nobbin.
Three fields of interest to me were Architecture and Interior Design and Industrial Design. It is bad enough that there are so few Blacks in these fields compared Euro-Americans, but when these Black pros engage in their own professional organizations they have gated communities. So if I wanted to get my art related bearings, I would have to flaunt my intentions to become a member of their closed professional circles. Of course they have programs to invite and entice ones to come in, but that is not the nature of the complaint.
As a Black artist, I am always seeking to be inspired with the mood of my people, and as someone interested in the decorative arts I want to know about the work of Black architects and interior designers and industrial designers. If any of them are pushing the envelope I would like to catch wind of that and push also in that direction. Hey is there a wave there, a movement in the works, is there an unsaid consensus or an obvious trend, style, fashion or sensibility? Not that Black art is fitting for a Black designed building, but why not?
Maybe perhaps, Black Architects, Interior and Industrial Designers do talk with other on jobs but how about in general about influences and markets and what about us would be symbionts called Black Artists? Let's see, Black Architects, Interior Designers and Industrial Designers and Artists, we all have a visibility problem, marketing problem, etc; do we need to look to each other a little better.
Why the beef? Because I do art and you design and build the environments for my stuff to exist in and on. Me the artist, may be very advanced in engineering or very primitive, but I don't think you can dismiss me so easily. Art folks can dream, big, small, far ahead and retro if we have to. The Euro-centered is slow to embrace us too. They clamor over a slave made quilt, but an up-to-date
modern design by a known Black artist may never make the shelves of Walmart. Many artist are stuck painting pictures because there are no avenues to develop artistic talents in other directions, no market incentives. There is pent up unspoken demand and lots of Black artists with art stacked in a closet, waiting for a Black Interior Designer to buy their work for a wall built by a Black Architect in a room furnished with stuff designed by a Black Industrial Designer.
Me the Black artist, I just want to visit your gated village, get the sense, get the feel of creative energy close to the source and not lost in diversity soup, though soup is good.
Posted By: Arnold Johnson
Thursday, January 21st 2010 at 1:40PM
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