Monday, September 10, 2007

Fahamu Pecou: Arty Like A Rock Star


On Friday, I went to check out Atlanta Artist, Fahamu Pecou in his first NYC solo exhibit. I actually didn't know he was coming but I stumbled across them setting up the exhibit earlier in the week.I know they were bugging because I just bum rushed the exhibit as they were hanging the pieces and sipping Heineken (below).
My bad!! But I promised I'd come back for the opening on Friday.

The series that being shown now through October 6 is called "Born in Famous a satire on Pop Culture. However, by using himself as the "Art Celebrity" in all of the pieces, he also makes the statement that he too is "the shit!" I love it, he just did the Jedi Mind Trick on the world. By "observing" Pop culture obsessed with people who are famous for anything he in turn becomes famous for something. Great Plot.


SIDEBAR: Heineken needs to go ahead and do the deal with this cat!!









BORN inFAMOUS is the latest suite of paintings utilizing Pecou’s alter ego as “art celebrity”. These works consider and challenge art-world politics and issues of the black male body. Audacious, confrontational, and witty, the work appropriates the lexicons of celebrity, magazine, and fine art culture to facilitate conversations that allow the viewer to examine these traditionally separate worlds and see where they connect.

In BORN inFAMOUS, Pecou ups the ante with the swagger of a Blaxploitation anti-hero, battling a system that prides itself on tokenism and flavor-of-the-month icons. The paintings in this series cite the work and words of figures like Melvin Van Peebles and Andre 3000 (of the hip-hop group Outkast), whose ability to stay politically and socially current in their work make them relevant to a contemporary audience as they recalibrate their work and careers across genres and styles.


If you are in NYC Go See it!


September 7 - October 6
Lyons Wier • Ortt
171 7th Avenue, NYC 10011 212•242•6220
http://www.lyonswierortt.com

If you are not in NYC check him out here.
www.fahamupecouart.com
www.myspace.com/fahamu

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