Inspiring Expressions

Temporary Awe

Behind thick Plexiglas in the Indica Gallery of Swinging London, there sits a lone Granny Smith apple rotting away. This is, considered by many, a form of artistic expression. This is one of many forms of temporary art by Yoko Ono, former wife of John Lennon. Or take Spanish street artist Francisco de Pajaro’s “Art Is Trash”. He travels to major cities like London and Berlin and rearranges garbage found on the street into sculptures. Sometimes people throw the sculptures away. Other dedicated fans who follow the artist scramble to collect his works. Or think about the ArteNatura in Italy. In 1986, the Arte Sella Association commissioned more than 20 sculptures consisting of leaves, branches, rocks and other natural elements. Others like Andy Goldsworthy use ice sculptures, leaves, rivers and most importantly, time in order to explore the temperamental nature of our existence.

Thriller

Michael Jackson never thought the album would become such a monster.

But Thriller, Jackson’s 1982 album, which has sold more than 66 million records since it hit the shelves, became the best selling musical album at the time. Who can’t resist trying to moonwalk when they hear Beat It or Billie Jean. It’s nearly impossible. Besides the innovative composing by legendary producer Quincy Jones, Thriller provoked a significant level of attention for African American artists and musicians who didn’t get the attention they deserved at the time. And it became a visual narrative that changed the music industry forever.

Jackson decided he wanted to combine his music with visuals in a way that would open the door for future artists to explore this level of expression in storytelling. He was influenced by the film “An American Werewolf” and wanted to make a short film about his childhood. Thriller represented the bestial side of becoming a man and the body transformation out of adolescence that he felt. This form of visual film meeting musical expression allowed for the exploration of the dark side of childhood that still holds significance in music video direction.

(And as an aside, a Thriller zombie dance flash mob made the Guinness Book of World Records with 13,597 participants in Mexico City, Mexico in 2009. Talk about art and expression influencing community!)

In the past decade, Compton-born artist Kendrick Lamar has become THE visual storyteller of black life. The music video for Alright became an anthem for anti-police brutality across America. Element weaves a rich tapestry of visual art and musical tension. And Lamar’s creative team deliberately explores the ubiquitous social fracturing of African American life, e.g. being denied access to wealth, housing inequality, depleted mental health resources, unbalanced educational opportunities, racism, and unending police brutality.

Lamar has become the vanguard for African American short-form storytelling. And his ache-filled musical expression influences other artists to rise up and survive by creating.

Childish Gambino is another of our generation’s more prolific hip hop artists. Donald Glover, who is a writer, actor, comedian and performs under the name Childish Gambino, has never hit the likes of Lamar as far as the singles go. However, Glover is an example of an artist that has earned the respect of his fans for his innovation and evolution as an artist. He’s lyrical and thoughtful in his social commentary, such as in Sweatpants. And he also knows when to call a project quits when it’s fully formed and expressed. Glover announced that he would retire the moniker Childish Gambino. With this, he inspires other creatives to look toward their next move. When you express in any form, there was always a reason that you were the one to do it. This allows us to question why were are expressing something, not only the what.