Armani Bibbs considers himself a self-taught artist. Not taking art classes until his tenth grade year in high school, he found a love and passion for art at an early age. Born in Riverdale, Georgia, Armani spent most of his time growing up in Warner Robins, Georgia. At a young age he found a liking for art. “I remember I was in the first grade we were drawing stick figures, and I just remember mines being different from everybody else’s. Like everybody had the stick with the arms and head, but I stepped outside the box. I was the kid trying draw shirts and shoes on the stick figure, and I guess in that moment I knew I was good.” (Armani Bibbs).
Art is something that came natural to Armani. Coming to college really opened up Armani’s perspective about art. Growing up he thought of art as just being graphic design and painting and drawing. Coming to college and taking all the different classes, learning different skills boosted him as an artist.
When it comes to a specific style in art, he feels as though his art cannot be placed in a certain category because he is so diverse. The themes of most of his work deals with the African American community. He likes to create art that his culture can understand and relate to. “Say for instance like if I were to paint a painting of kids playing in the street, in a neighborhood. I would put a big street light in the center with the light out. Growing up if you were black, you knew to be at home before the street lights go off.” (Armani Bibbs).
His most recent works has a similar theme, he focuses on the identity of a black man. In his the senior show his piece entitled “Implied”, is an 18×24 inch water color painting featuring a famous artist/actor Childish Gambino. This peace to Armani signified being black at all the wrong times. In the background of the painting he painted certain phrases like “when I walk, when I talk, when I sleep, when I breath” referencing that even doing those simple things as a black man sometimes is wrong in the view of the oppressors eyes. The main subject in the foreground has his arms stretched out with his hands making a gun symbol. Knowing your history on current issues with police and African American culture, you would know that a simple playful gesture as such could cause a black man to lose his life.
His art focuses on the topics of black people as whole because he feels as though the world we live in today was not designed for people of color to win. “We were born in a system that was created for us to fail” (Armani Bibbs). Feeling as though the universe is against minorities he tries to bring the awareness to those situations in hopes of making change through his artworks. Another piece that references his thoughts and feelings behind the universe not be created for
blacks his a piece he entitled “TRAPped”. He discusses how low income poverty areas would do better, if they had better living conditions. Coming from a black culture the word trap means simply making a way providing for your family. The way in which an African American have to provide for their families sometimes in most cases end them up in jail because they can’t get real jobs to provide.
His work references black culture so much that he feels that is the reason his work doesn’t appeal much to a white audience. “I want to be inclusive with my art, at the same time include white perspective in my art” (Bibbs). He hopes to intrigue white viewers with his works so they can see and understand the African American culture from all different perspectives.
Tatyana Jackson is a current senior at Valdosta State University. She is a BFA major with a specific concentration in graphic design. After she graduates, she wants to return to Atlanta, Ga in hopes of finding a graphic design job.