Interviews and Conversations

Interviews and Conversations

ArtAboveReality

ArtAboveReality
“DUET: Composition of Rhythm, Harmony, and Form” at Cielo Galleries and Studios from September 20th - October 11th, 2025, featuring a collection of works by Los Angeles-based contemporary artists Skira Martinez (@Skira.Cielo) and Sam Pace (@sam.pace.7) This exhibition is curated by Badir McCleary of ArtAboveReality. "Duet,” a two-person exhibition featuring Los Angeles–based artists Skira Martinez and Sam Pace, draws on the rich textures and histories of musical instruments and electronic detritus. “Duet” invites visitors to explore how sound and materiality intertwine to shape contemporary culture. The exhibition takes its title from the collaborative spirit of music-making: two distinct voices in dialogue, resonance and counterpoint. Through sculptural assemblages, painted surfaces and found-object reliefs, Martinez and Pace repurpose brass and string components from radios, pianos and other instruments—alongside plastics, wood and e-waste—to compose visual symphonies that riff on memory, improvisation and cultural legacy. Visitors will encounter works that both reference the physicality of jazz, blues and Black American music, and reimagine the afterlives of discarded, “silent” objects. Find these artists on Social Media: Skira Martinez (@Skira.Cielo) and Sam Pace (@sam.pace.7). Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
In this episode we talk with Jason Humphrey, a Los Angeles–based artist whose practice blends meticulous technique with intuitive vision. Growing up in the city’s vibrant graffiti culture of the 1980s, he developed an early passion for creative expression before serving in the U.S. Navy at just 17. His years at sea during Desert Storm, along with travels through Japan, Hong Kong, and beyond, left lasting impressions that later shaped his artistic language. Reconnecting with art after his service, Humphrey discovered pen and ink pointillism, building images from thousands of precise dots. Over time, his work evolved from black-and-white compositions to bold, colorful pieces that integrate collage and layered paper for added depth. Animals often serve as central motifs, symbolizing qualities such as strength, transformation, and resilience. Guided by mood, music, and intuition, Humphrey allows each piece to unfold organically rather than adhering to a fixed plan. His practice reflects both discipline and spontaneity, giving his art a distinctive voice that bridges structure with spiritual meaning. Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
In this episode, we talk with Jamiah Calvin, a fine artist and muralist born and raised in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. His work is deeply shaped by both the realities of his upbringing and the imaginative worlds he built as a means of escape. A graduate of Prosser Vocational School, Jamiah went on to serve in the military, an experience that allowed him to live and work across the globe. After his service, he pursued a BFA in Fine Art at Northern Illinois University. His artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally, with murals spanning cities across the U.S. and abroad. Yet, for Jamiah, the most meaningful moments come when his work is seen and celebrated in his hometown of Chicago. Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
In this episode, we talk with Antonio Miller, a multidisciplinary artist based in Newark, whose work explores memory, Black identity, and cultural inheritance through collage, painting, and installation. Drawing from personal archives and found materials, he constructs immersive environments that celebrate the textures and rhythms of everyday Black life. Currently an Artist-in-Residence with the Paul Robeson Galleries at Express Newark, Miller is preparing for his debut solo exhibition, Hey Young World!, set to open in Fall 2025. Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
In this episode, we talk with Darryl Eisden, a Dutch-Caribbean artist based in Barcelona, redefines sculpture through a unique fusion of plastiline and traditional clay techniques. His work seeks to animate the inanimate—to breathe life into form, making stillness feel as if it moves. He describes his approach as “graffiti in sculpture,” a bold departure from conventional expectations of the medium. Once a musician, Darryl found a new rhythm in sculpture, channeling his need for expression through shape and structure. His ongoing project, Cervello Artistico, shines a light on working artists across Barcelona and Europe, celebrating the vibrancy of contemporary creative communities. Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
In this episode, I speak with Charles Mason III a Baltimore based artist. Charles Mason III (Baltimore, MD) received his AA degree from CCBC, BFA from University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and MFA in Studio Art from Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), 2019. He has curated several shows in Baltimore and Philadelphia as well as had solo shows which include Screaming in Silence, My Salvation is Love (The End), at Anna Zorina Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 2022, Goya Contemporary Gallery Baltimore, MD, 2021, and Spillway Collective, Philadelphia, PA, 2019. He has participated in group exhibitions, The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century, co-organized by the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) and Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM), Charm City, Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York, NY, The Radical Voice of Blackness Speaks of Resistance and Joy, Banneker-Douglass Museum, Annapolis, MD, A Gathering, HOUSING Gallery New York, NY, Radical Reading Room, The Studio Museum in Harlem, Harlem, NY, Breaching the Margins, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI, CARPE DIEM, UTA Art Space and Surface is only a Material Vehicle for Spirit, Kavi Gupta Gallery, Chicago, IL to name a few. He has work in the permanent collection of the Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD, the James E. Lewis Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD, the Whitney Museum of American Art Special Collections, and the Hammer Museum Grunwald Center Collection, he is also a Trawick Prize winner. - via the artists website. Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
Is this episode I speak with Virginia based artist Marly McFly! Marly McFly is a self-taught artist from Newport News, VA. He began pursuing his passion for art as a child drawing everything from cartoons, comics, action figures and athletes Drawing influences from his surroundings and life growing up, he incorporates nostalgia and pop culture, to create narrative-driven works revolving around his original characters which are utilized to address ideas of self-expression, empowerment, hope and resilience. His work is the perfect mix of two prolific genres of contemporary art; pop and urban street art and has successfully exhibited in major international markets including New York, Paris and Tokyo, to name a few and has collaborated with brands such as Nike, the MLB, NBA, Nickelodeon, Montana cans and lucasfilms. Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
In this episode, we speak with James Dupree, a distinguished American artist, educator, and activist. He has been honored with numerous fellowships and artist residencies across Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, and Wales. His accolades include the prestigious Living Legend Award from the Black Alumni Society of the University of Pennsylvania. Notably, from 2012 to 2014, Dupree's studio in the Mantua neighborhood of West Philadelphia faced an eminent domain takeover attempt by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA), a battle which concluded with Dupree successfully retaining his studio. Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
In Episode Eight, I speak with Los Angeles based artist Floyd Strickland. He critically explores American culture through the perspectives of black and brown children, drawing inspiration from his own childhood to create ethereal, realistic paintings. His work, often featuring his own children, aims to highlight their beauty, strength, and potential, addressing the confidence struggles he observed and experienced in his youth. Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
Got a chance to rap with the good brother @floyd_strickland last week for the #CulturalCanvases #podcast and got some insight into his work which I’m a huge fan of. One thing that I love is that he includes his kids as subjects. I got to ask him about how that makes him feel and it was dope to hear how they influenced him to get back into creating. I’ve had the opportunity to curate his works in a show and simply loved them. Can’t wait for y’all to see the full episode this week! Stay tuned! A few new episodes are on the way! Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
Artwork: Orange Functional by Alexandre Arrechea at The Rock at La Cantera Goals. Lots of them. I’ve been running into a lot of #publicart pieces that speak to me heavily. Being an entrepreneur you have to juggle all the goals on your career tree. Some are way more challenging and daunting than others. Some are layups, others are long shots from half court, but you must take them. This work by @alexandrearrechea at #TheRockAtLaCantera in #SanAntonio emphasizes the multitude of the goal tree with this work. Placed in the lot of the new training center for the @spurs, it’s an ideal representation of the hopes they have with their new phenom @wemby as they break ground on shooting for the goal of a championship team again. The piece titled “Orange Functional” is a reminder of the growth of ideas that are planted in fertile soil. No lateral movement, only higher goals. #artabovereality #contemporaryart #basketball #public #texas #goals #ideas #tree #orange #basketballrim #alexandrearrechea #orangefunctional #lacantera Join the ArtAboveReality channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9S0S2OYmTsmQf5nqMQZhUw/join
#FallenThroughTheCracks: Black Artists in History - Geoffrey Holder
#FallenThroughTheCracks: Black Artists in History - Valerie Maynard
#FallenThroughTheCracks: Black Artists in History - Tina Allen
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