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).
“Implied” 18 x 24″ watercolor paint on canvas.
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. Continue reading Armani Bibbs the Artist
Ashley Smith is a senior Art major at Valdosta State University, and plans to graduate in May of this year with a BFA. She is originally from Atlanta, but lived in Saint Simes Island for the majority of her life. When it comes to her creative process, Smith says that she usually starts off with a base concept. Next, she chooses her media based off what would work best with the specific idea. From there, she makes sketches that will guide her in the actual creation of her piece. Sometimes, however, for certain works, it may be in her favor to choose her media beforehand. Smith also notes that if the work is graphic design related, there may be times where the sketching process is digital rather that the old-fashioned pencil and paper. There also may be instances where the work is for a client, meaning it will be less personal to you, causing you to have to remove yourself from the work itself to an extent. In situations like this, Smith says that she still tries to incorporate themes that are a part of her style. Ashley Smith is greatly influenced by Hosanna Rubio, a metalsmith, whom Smith says incorporates moths and bone structures into much of her work, something that she often does herself. Along with concept, Smith is also fond of the way Rubio approaches her work in general.
Smith sees death as a “timely conclusion rather than an abrupt end.” She feels that death is seen as a taboo topic nowadays so she uses symbols of death, mostly from nature, to ease into the conversation. “If you’re going to talk about death, it is essential to talk about life first,” Smith says when explaining her reasoning behind much of her work. “To speak about the end (death) before we actually get there would be incomplete” she says, which is why life itself is also a focal point in some of her work. Often times, Smith uses her work to either describe and/or accentuate her own personal experiences.
The Days That Followed is a silkscreen piece that shows an older male sitting alone at a table, specifically in a dining room. The man shown is actually Smith’s grandfather and if you look closely you can see a faint outline of a person sitting across from the table. This faintness is Smith’s nana. The concept around this piece is the grief that is carried by her grandfather after the passing of his wife, Smith’s nana. Memento Mori is a digital animation that also focuses on the concept of death. In the short clip we see a moth sitting on an insect zapper, and as it flies off another insect comes and lands on the object. Upon making contact with it, the insect is zapped and falls to the ground. The moth shown is the death’s-head hawkmoth which is known for having a skull-like image on its back. This specific insect is used a lot in pop culture to represent death and Smith says that in order to live, we must remember that life will end. The fly getting zapped at the end adds comic relief and represents a way for people to ease into the topic of death.
Come Undone is a woodcut piece that is personal to Smith because it conceptually portrays a medical condition known as cleft lip, a condition in which an opening or split in the upper lip occurs during the facial development of an unborn baby. Smith was born with cleft lip and has had multiple surgeries to correct it. She once had a dream that those surgeries were undone, which inspired this elevated piece that is supposed to show the many transformations that take part within our lives. About 1-in-700 people are born with cleft lip, making it rather common, yet not many people talk about it. Smith hopes this piece can spark conversation surrounding the condition.
Lastly, Protect Me From The Past is a mixed media piece done with copper, enamel, and textiles. It is said that birthmarks represent how you died in the past life. This piece is done in the shape of a shoulder pad that can sit on one’s shoulder, the place of Smith’s birthmark. This formed metal has the life cycle of a beetle across it, an insect that represents rebirth, which should in turn help one to live. On the inside there are embroideries that make the metal comfortable to sit upon one’s shoulder. Psychopomps, creatures that can move between life and death, are another important part of this piece.
In today’s society, discussions revolving around death are often frowned upon. Ashley Smith understands this and, through her work, creates pieces that can be used as activators to open up the discussion about an such an inevitable topic.
Joseph Mays is a Bachelor of Art Student at Valdosta State University. With a focus in graphic design, Joseph’s passion for art and design has grown over the years and plans to graduate and pursue a career in the art field.
Jasmine Allen lives a double life. By day she’s an art student. To class she sported a simple Black turtleneck and a pair of blue jeans- a look reminiscent of Steve Jobs. Except this Steve Jobs donned a pair of Nike Air Max 95s. It’s been a full week since the Seniors had their Opening Exhibition Convergence. Even though the seniors have had their show, the school work continues to flow for Allen. We talk about all the projects she still has due while she grabs a snack from the vending machine. Like all seniors, she’s so ready to be done with school, one facet of her double life. By night, Allen is the CEO and Creative Director for Ugly Urban, a Georgia-based street-wear brand. Ugly Urban or UURBN prides itself on transmitting a message of love, power, and overcoming barriers through different media such as printmaking, fashion, and even furniture. When you ask Allen why the brand is called that, she’d quickly respond, “It’s the ugly struggle to defy urban stereotypes.” Personally, I connect with that meaning. In a world where urban can be easily pinned as another word for black, there are plenty of stereotypes in need of defying. Urban culture is often alienated in higher-class circles, but Ugly Urban is meant to serve as the warm embrace for the alienated. Through street-wear silhouettes and witty Instagram captions, Allen has captured an audience of fellow culture enthusiasts, and outcasts.
“It was a feeling of accomplishment,” She stated when asked how she felt about being a graduating senior showing art in the senior show. “Because, nobody really thought I was going to finish my work, so me finishing it, and feeling as if I did a good job, it makes me feel accomplished. I still get compliments about some of the pieces. Somebody told me this morning that they were dope.”
D.U.S Series (Red)
VSU’s Dedo Maranville Gallery houses 16 seniors’ pieces, and Allen has 3 pieces in the show. The three pieces include: D.U.S. (Series), UURBN Throne, and UURBN Wardrobe. “Which is your favorite?” I asked. She took a long pause and said the UURBN Wardrobe. The piece she’s referring to is a slim yet tall wardrobe. Standing at 6ft, the Wardrobe towers over Allen’s small person. The wardrobe is made of wood that has been stained black, and is fashioned with glass on the doors and lights included inside to illuminate the clothes, all easily identified as UURBN by their similar logo bearing the Defy Urban Stereotypes motif. I immediately asked, “Why is this one your favorite?” It didn’t take long for her to reply, “Because it was the piece I did outside of school. I literally had to watch a You-tube video and prove to myself I could do it. I had to figure out how to figure it out.” I can’t help but be impressed about how this small woman managed to build such a tall structure. The clothes inside are just as important as the wardrobe encapsulating them. Hanging within the wardrobe are hoodies, tee-shirts, and jerseys, all coveted street-wear essentials. The fashion of UURBN takes inspiration from a hip-hop influenced 90s era. Hip-Hop enthusiasts can clearly recall a time when sporting your favorite brand’s jersey was a huge trend in parties and music videos. Wearing the jersey of a champion made you feel like you were one too, like you’re part of the team. Taking a look at the clothes, it’s clear to see that Allen seeks to bring that same feeling of camaraderie back with her ‘UURBN’ jerseys.
D.U.S Series (Yellow)
I found it appropriate to inform Allen that the UURBN Throne is my personal favorite piece of hers. The Throne is a chair built of the letters U-U-R-B-N. One could clearly tell that repetition is clearly important to Allen. Allen uses these letters to create a visual language based off of urbanism and self-pride. The Chair, similar to the wardrobe, is made of black stained wood. This piece of furniture is also ornamented with a series of small interlocking ‘UU’ logos. Thematically it pairs well with the Wardrobe because they are so similar in aesthetic. Although the pieces aren’t directly next to each other, they still converse as harmonious pieces of artistic furniture crafted in the same family. “I painted it black because black is my favorite color. Black can be a symbol of power and royalty, which is why it’s a throne, but really black is my favorite color.” Allen shared with me that the throne is meant to empower whoever is sitting on it. Since the piece acts as an accessory of luxury, the user of the piece assumes the role of royalty. “What would sitting in this chair make me the king of?” “The chair is a symbol of royalty within the community. It’s a symbol of Kingship and Queenship. I didn’t want to limit it to just one gender. Whoever chooses to sit in it is considered royalty regardless of gender and skin color. I speak on urban from the perspective of a Black Woman because that’s all I know, but UURBN doesn’t exclude anyone.”
D.U.S Series (Blue)
Lastly, the piece that Allen and I could both agree to have a special connection with is D.U.S. Series. The piece is a portrait of a man, whose face is covered by a butterfly. The figure of man and butterfly sits carefully placed on top of a colorful circle and the phrase “Defy Urban Stereotypes” is repeated behind. The series is able to be differentiated piece by piece with the circle that sits behind the man’s head. The circle varies in color; blue, red, yellow. The meaning to this piece was shared as a caption posted to Ugly Urban’s Instagram page just days before the show. The special meaning read, “Celebration of the black man. Often times black men don’t get the necessary praise they deserve, so with this piece I took a friend of mine and covered his face to take away the identity because sometimes we only treat people a certain way due to their affiliation with us when in actuality everyone deserve the same respect you give to the people you love. I used Red to represent power, love, and determination. Yellow to represent joy, happiness, and intellect. Blues represents trust, loyalty, and confidence. These words are used to combat the negativity that is formed against the black male. Love your brother and mate and uplift him so that he can be the leader he’s destined to be. Defy urban stereotypes.”
Rasheem Callender is a Fine Arts student from Atlanta, GA. While in undergrad, Callender is focusing on graphic design and printmaking. After graduating, Callender will attend grad school with the expectation of becoming an art director or a curator.
