An Art Opening for the Ages!
9.20.2019
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
I believe it is important for all people to hear and tell stories through art. Fahamu Pecou, a multimedia artist whom I am sure will be considered one of the top three most influential artists of the 21st century, spoke to a gallery packed with his fans last night. As one of those fans, I was thrilled to hear him talk about the cultural and personal influences on his work and the stories he tells through his art-making.
Dr. Pecou is a world renown artist, currently showing his work in Chapel Hill, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, and Paris, who speaks to people so warmly that they want to hear his words. That's important considering his message: that young African-American males are often seen as threats or ignored to their and our society's detriment. That's not a message everyone wants to hear or accept. Pecou's work employs the same warm, inviting tone. I felt drawn to inspect it; to read his lines and expressive color applications, and stories told through self-styled characters. His stories are scrawled and painted across larger than life supports - paper, canvas, video, music, and costumery.
As I've taught Dr. Pecou's story, work, and influences to my students, they have become more and more engaged with him. The depth to which they care about his work is greater than any I've seen in teaching the usual suspects - Picasso, Monet, Manet, etc. You get the point; the old, dead guys. The conversations we have in class ramp up and inspire the creativity of my middle schoolers. It's so impressive to see in action.
That impact hit an all time high today: I return to each class wide-eyed and beaming smile. My students ask how Dr. Pecou's talk went and if I got to meet him, the joy ready to burst forth if I say yes. I put my finger in the air and remind them we need to first take attendance, then share some quick announcements. The kids squirm in their seats, hands shooting up with questions ready even before I get halfway through taking role. I hide my smile and prolong announcements to increase the tension and just before they burst, I say "Let me show you some pictures." and they all wiggle toward the projector.
I tell the kids how I got to hear Dr. Pecou talk about his work, how I wanted to dip my fingers in the water pool/video installation like the little boy standing next to me did as I watched and smiled then defended his actions to his father. I tell them that when I finally got to shake Dr. Pecou's hand and tell him how much his work means to me and my kids that HE had to remind me to take a photo of us. I tell them the message he sent back with me to them: "Thank you for your support and I send my love". I tell them that when you look at his work in real life, you almost can't stop tracing his lines with your eyes forever. The kids gasp in excitement and break out into noisy chatter about how cool that would be. I feel immense joy no longer hiding my proud smile.
The images below hardly do justice to the experience of the opening for Do or Die last night at the Stone Center at UNC Chapel Hill. They will have to suffice until you can attend one of Dr. Fahamu Pecou's famous openings for yourself. Enjoy and treat one another with kindness, respect, and love.
