A Parallel Planets piece by Unknown
Parallel Planets presents The Black Arrow
in Wayward Whims
Interview by Erin Emocling
Mentioned: the real Mona Lisa, unheard sounds, and a strange desire to have nothing
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Parallel Planets: Hello, The Black Arrow. It’s cool to have you here on Parallel Planets. Tell us something about yourself as an artist and before you became one.
The Black Arrow: I’m an illustration artist from Philadelphia. The Black Arrow is a project that I created about a year and a half ago to express myself through all forms of visual art. Making art is something that’s really fun for me. It is a form of creative problem solving except that you’re not being assigned a problem from an outside source--you’re assigning yourself a problem to solve. With The Black Arrow project, I’ve been challenging myself to be more creative. It’s interesting but very frustrating at times. I got just good enough at it where I gained some recognition very quickly. In the beginning, I realized I had so many weak spots so I always try to intuitively figure them out while learning new skills and techniques. The idea of taking this project more seriously came when a good friend of mine and cancer survivor, Al Grimaldi, gave me a book about Salvador Dali’s work. Both Al Grimaldi and Salvador Dali’s philosophies towards art inspired me to approach my work in a more meaningful way. It opened up my imagination to the possibilities art can show you and how it effects people.
When/How did your inclination with art begin?
When I was little, I had the opportunity to travel with my papa and mama who would take me to these museums. I’ve seen Mone, the real Mona Lisa, and all the mainstream classic artists. The thing is, I only remember hating it. I hated the lines. I hated how quiet it was. How crowded it was. I never appreciated or understood it. I thought the idea of being an artist was plain and stupid. I only started to care and understand art when I made friends who were creative. It was interesting to see themselves in their art work. What really inspired me was the comic book, Spawn. I loved looking through the illustrations and seeing all the details. Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo illustrations really inspired me to draw. I would trace pictures until I memorized how to draw characters myself. I was just really fascinated with creating a story where you control the characters and world. I really had fun with the freedom. I think subconsciously I developed a dark sense of humor from those comics. It was really graphic with blood and sex. It dealt with race and a lot of adult themes. I really love that I was exposed to that at an early age because I feel like those images gave me some maturity at a young age. I was, like, 10 years old reading about demons murdering evil people in the world. It was a wonderful childhood.
What defines your artistic style? What are your “trademarks”?
I think what defines my style is the blending of different mediums. I like to combine black and white portrait photography with gritty paintings and messy ink drawings. It wasn't intentional but every time I take pictures or find new photography I'm drawn towards close shots of people's faces. More specifically, women. I like to have a mix of types of women. I think the eyes are the most interesting feature in my opinion. It's very cliche to say this but you really can learn a lot from looking into someone's eyes. My first projects were really inspired by Native American warpaint and things of that nature. I took inspiration from the Native American culture and South American culture. The idea I had in my head was to combine very gritty dark ink paintings with high fashion photography. I rarely see people blending both genres so it really fascinates me even to this day. My trademark is the arrow. I was inspired by Greek Mythos to create a character who was strong but also extremely open. Relationships throughout my life really define my style. I like to include my real life experiences in my art. I rarely use color unless I feel its necessary for the idea of the project. If I do use a color, it's usually red, pink, or beige to represent passion and love.
A large part of your visual work published online are your projects with musicians, emerging and established alike. How do you usually get started with collaborating with other artists?
I’ve been fortunate to work with great musicians who are very talented. First, I talk to the artist about their motivation behind the project. While I listen to their music, I usually write down a few key words that come to mind and use those words to begin a rough sketch. Particularly with Atu’s album Pictures on Silence, I wanted to create a female character who was going through a relationship while having this out pour of emotions exploding from her. So I tried to show that very literally. I explained the idea to Atu and he seemed to be excited about it. We were inspired by each other’s ideas and it pushed the collaboration further. It can be very challenging but I enjoy helping musicians create their ideas visually through my work. It feels good to collaborate on a creative level and reach a mutually realized outcome. I’m glad to be a part of Atu’s project because all the proceeds go to EveryChild Foundation to provide assistance to those less fortunate in Malawi.
What influences your work? Who inspires you?
Everything inspires me. I like to allow an open door when it comes to what or who inspires me. At this very moment, what motivates my work is the idea of "truth." As I continue the growth with my artwork, I realized that I've become less caring of other's opinions. Creating art makes me feel a lot more in control of my thoughts and expression. I like the feeling of creating my ideas when I like. My top three influences are Bjork, Salvador Dali, and Ralph Steadman. Bjork is an all around great inspiration. She has a very infectious energy about her that draws me in. I feel like she is a beacon for the future in terms of breaking new ground with music, fashion, and visual art. I am inspired by her honesty and her ability to have no creative restrictions. Dali is a just a genius. His work is incredibly unique. Every time I look at his work I always seem to find something new. His paintings seem to be very authentic and true to his imagination. I also loved how he includes his wife Gala in many of his paintings. He seemed to have great love for her and it shows. Ralph Steadman is an amazing cartoonist and painter. His visual style is so raw and I love how he shines light on the darker side of humanity using satire. I learned a lot from his work. He taught me to improvise and that there are no mistakes only opportunities. These artists are fearless and have a strong sense of self without losing any excitement for creating. They’re all very influential in my style.
Tell us more about your own music. How does your music relate to your artworks?
Initially, when I started The Black Arrow project, I was aiming to make music but I became more interested in visual art. I really only make music or make mixes for myself and friends. I never really post anything. I've only shared a couple tracks that were posted with Gergaz Netlabel's Beat Garden series but I'm waiting for the right time to release something more official. Mainly because I'm still learning. I wouldn't call myself a musician but I love music. I feel like I can bring a new sound that hasn't been heard yet. Hopefully I'll gain some courage and finally put it out there. My music is related closely to my art because I go through the same feelings I do with each both art forms. I need music and art to express what I can't say.
What is your mantra in life?
"Go slowly." With everything. Eating. Talking. Taking a shower. Driving. Even having sex. I noticed when I was super stressed out about things, I had a tendency to run around like a lunatic, doing several things at once, often times having to retrack my steps because I was so distracted that I left several things out. I found that my projects, errands, and even my conversations with people became very watered down because I was rushing just to finish. Now, whenever I feel like I'm rushing to just get things done, I slow down my pace, take a deep breath, and take my time with whatever it is I am rushing to do. When we slow down, we can taste all the flavors in our food and we digest our meals better. We are better communicators when we talk slow, and we become better listeners. Accidents? They wouldn't happen as much if we weren't in such a rush to get somewhere. It's quality over quantity.
Aside from visual arts, what other creative pursuits are you interested in?
I'm really interested in traveling and documenting my trips. I think for future projects I will combine photography, writing, film, and mural painting into one project. These are my biggest interests right now.
If you’re not doing anything related to art and/or music, what can we catch you doing instead? Tell us more about the other side of you.
You would definitely catch me traveling. I love exploring new places and meeting new people. I would pick twenty random places on the map and go on an all out adventure.
What’s your dream job?
I'm living my dream job but if I had to choose another maybe I would be some kind of treasure hunter. Like one of those people who discover hidden pyramids in countries all over the world.
Mention three of your favorite things in the world.
Making art. Traveling. Eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with milk.
Do you have any weird habits? Strange desires? Unlikely fetishes? Surprise us.
I think one of the weirdest habits I had for a while was imagining people crying when I looked at them. I honestly have no idea why I would do that. I think it was because it was a way for me to understand someone on a different level very quickly. If I could see them in pain I could see them at their most honest. Although this daydream was probably inaccurate I would do it all the time. I have a strange desire to have nothing. Sometimes I wish I could start at zero. Where all my personal processions would disappear and I could start over. Almost like a new way to explore more experiences.
What project(s) are you currently working on?
I just finished working on a project with a french rapper, called Ladea. I'm really excited about it. It will be out late 2014. Aside from that I'm working on a collaboration project with Little. We've been collaborating for almost two years so its only been a natural progression to start something together. We created a project called Little Arrow. We will be posting monthly mixes with different themes. We also will be creating short films and photography projects in Tokyo very soon. You can expect murals in the future as well. That is my next goal as far as medium crossovers.
In this planet that we're thriving in—
What is your power animal?
I would say an eagle or some kind of bird. They represent independence and freedom to fly anywhere. The vision of birds help us learn to take a step back and view the bigger picture. Or perhaps my power animal is a Leopard or a Guinea pig. For some reason a guinea pigs reminds me of Ranma 1 + 1/2 and I don't know why.
Who is your alternate ego?
My alternate ego would probably be a crazy little Japanese woman simply named… Little. She is about 5 foot tall. She is deadly with chopsticks. She enjoys short walks on the beach. She contemplate whether she should stay in the middle of it all. She was once known to have killed a chinese panda with her small bare hands. She is fierce and knows over 65 languages. She helms from the Chinese/Japanese heritage as a brave little twizzler soldier set at vengeance looking for restitution and revenge. If you look her in the eye for too long she will turn you into stone cold ice cream sandwiches. Only her vision is parallel to those who choose to believe in it at all. Her long standing rival Bobby sets the tone for her violent rampage. She seeks balance and opportunity awaits the small warrior. Her three favorite things in the world are twirlers, gorillas in gorilla costumes, and flowered brahahas. This is who my alternate ego is.
In an alternate universe where art and/or music do not exist—
What would your name be?
In an alternate universe I would be a dying nebula star called Xibalba. It would explain life's creation myth. I would be the first human to sacrifice myself to make the world. The tree of life would burst out of my stomach. My body would become the tree roots. They would spread and form the Earth. My soul would become the branches rising up forming the sky. And my death would explain life.
What would you be doing instead?
I would be creating new life around the universe or playing Tekken.
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