Artist Statement
Finding where my roots lie is directly connected to who I am. My name is Shu. I am a Black interdisciplinary artisan from Curaçao. I conceptualize realities by re-imagining experiences I have had or predict I will have, and my work lives within these realities and/or documents it. As a 26-year-old Afro-Caribbean living in Europe I use my perspective on the world and my background to my advantage. Having been partially raised in Curaçao and the Netherlands and having travelled to different countries has allowed me to broaden my horizons. By reflecting on my position in different cultural contexts and environments, I draw inspiration for the stories I want to tell.
As an artisan, I respond to Shu. I am a performer, creative director, and designer. The work I create as an artist is meant to challenge the stereotypes Black men have acquired throughout history. Especially The idea that we Black men are always rough and tough. For this, I use Afro-Surrealism and Afro-Futurism as a foundation and aim to tell stories which will inspire, educate and connect with the target audience. I use my life experiences as a source to fuel my creativity. This is where my practice intertwines with the principles of Afro-Surrealism and Afro-Futurism. I use these themes to build a world in which my artwork can lie and/or be documented.
Most of the work I have created is the result of collaboration between me as an artist and Urban Owl – a production house which designs, creates and sells products and services using conceptual storytelling. The idea behind Urban Owl is to create a community of like-minded artists, creatives and collectors who can gather to enjoy each other’s work, engage in conversation and trade or sell their art. It is meant to interconnect the people with the community. Giving opportunities to network An Artisan Named Shu and Ode to BlackBoyJoy are the most recent examples of the collaboration between Shu and Urban Owl. Both include performance and directing while the former includes an ongoing design aspect.
In the upcoming year I will be researching the use of flowers and colours in artworks portraying BlackBoyJoy. Another passion of mine is finding and/or creating environments where black men can safely express themselves and support one another. This is something I want to pursue under Urban Owl.
Abstract: Position Paper
A Black Curaçaoan interdisciplinary artist creating and reflecting on what it means to be an expressive Black man. Doing so, from the perspective of colours and flowers as a means to lay needed groundwork for incorporating these components into my practice. Splitting the research into dissimilar sections established by the lens of colour association and flowers as material. Visually analysing the variety of Black expressions in my own colour grade photography and artworks of Black creatives integrating flowers. Concluding each analysis with a reflection to document current understanding. From this, an ongoing progress flourishes which helps me position myself as an artist and my practice in the current zeitgeist of Black men and their masculinity. For inspiration I will be primarily looking into Black stories of expression in visual arts.
This Position Paper is expression.
Keywords: Masculinity, colour theory, flowers.