Your work consistently challenges certain ideals whilst
the hashtag #menaretrash is reprogrammed to call
uplifting the communities they affect, what inspires
men positive affirmations.
you to continue doing so?
Negative statements such as ‘men are trash’ is a frequent criticism, that is echoed in young black men’s
In my artwork I challenge ideals, that affect either myself
lives. These negative statements can cause their brains
or people within my community. I relay these ideas
to distort the truth and make it even more difficult to
through an artistic process to showcase the concepts to
break the negative stigmas which encourages them
external members of the community, and to re-literate it
to live up to the statement. The hashtag #menaretrash
for those who are unaware of the issues. I tried to create
is
a positive narrative for every challenge that occurs to
affirmations. To influence the young men of today to do
motivate those who are affected, to know that their
and be better, by erasing the negative labels being used
voices are heard and to uplift them to continue fighting
towards them.
erased
and
reestablished
with
positive
male
the battle. Even your use of pop art inspired pieces, such as With so many facets of the world we live in worth
‘Ass And Titties’ seem to reflect some kind of social
confronting, how do you go about choosing your
commentary given the influence of pop art in the
particular subject for each piece?
fashion & music industries which help perpetuate the very ideas you challenge - is this stylised choice
There are many issues that arise in the world we live in
intentional?
today, so I tried to direct my focus on ones that personally affect me, as I am more knowledgeable and opinionated
Ass and titties is an artistic statement used to present
about the affairs.
the ideas of sexualisation and sexual violence towards women. To disregard statements such as ‘boys will be
You draw on references from popular culture in a
boys’ and to educate young men on the severity of
social critique, do you feel the media - particularly
sexual violence. To let young females feel comfortable
social media - is detrimental to certain communities?
in all environments, neglecting the ideas of what she is wearing; the time she travels alone or the area she is in.
My references to pop culture, is presented through the traditional style of pop art. That was once used to
Sexualisation is linked to sexual objectification, which
convey ideas that happened within society. There has
usually occurs when individuals are regarded as
been an ongoing debate about cultural appropriation,
sex objects and evaluated in terms of their physical
displaying cultural ideas that have worked against black
characteristics and sexiness. The sexualisation towards
people in many ways but were appreciated in the media
women is highly associated with sexual violence, which
and the wider social community when figures such as
is any unwanted sexual act or activity.
Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner presented such ideas. The Modern-day pop art painting, illustrating the Your piece, ‘Men Are Trash’, flips the popular yet
most popular sex symbols in today’s society, being an
polarising
negative
emblematic part of the era, by changing attitudes
generalisation of men in the modern era, what do you
towards sexuality. The pop culture icons have changed
hope to communicate through this work?
the industry, by being extremely influential and
statement
in
erasing
the
breaking records. The style of the painting was highly ‘Men Are Trash’ is a prevalent hashtag on Twitter. It
influenced by Mel Ramos, in the approach of his female
originated from South African Twitter when women
nudes paintings, incorporating elements of realist and
decided to use the social media platform to address
abstract art.
numerous issues such as rape, patriarchy and domestic violence in their country.
‘The Revolution Will Be Televised’ is a moving and candid portrayal of the protests occurring out of
The hashtag then became a podium to converse about
the tragedy of police brutality, composed of various
the mistreatment of women in relationships with men
protest signs, do you feel art is a form of protest for
and male’s promiscuous behaviour.
yourself?
Society has accepted male toxic behaviour for decades,
‘The revolution will be televised’ is based on the
and women in today’s society hold men accountable.
2020 protests illustrating years of institutionalised
This piece represents a reprogramming system to
racism
change the narrative. As a community, we need to
give an introduction to the injustice black people
change the mindset and behaviour of our young men,
have experienced for many years. The continuous
towards
black
people.
The
protest
signs
viper - 119
