nymphiccus CV

ummaannex:

Welcome To The (New) Annex

For eight years, the Annex has been the mainstaple for students, staff, and faculty alike to share their meditations on art, culture, social justice, identity, the list goes on– but this year marks a different approach. The opportunity to cultivate the UMMA as a space in which student voices can speak for themselves with the museum as an amplifier and grounding point is especially rare, and the two of us don’t take this responsibility lightly. We wanted to make this a mantle of sorts. Something that moulds to the students to whom its given, and a space that will be totally transformed in tone, and in vision with the people who take it on year to year. 

This year the two of us have a chance to mould it, and as we grow and change with the museum throughout, we hope those who inherit it next will be reading and planning for how they will in turn make it their own.

Welcome

who we are

Sena: “In the creative state a man is taken out of himself.”-E.M. Forster

As a member of the African diaspora and the African-American community I am, and have been expected to be strong, stoic, and immovable. The unyielding rock which has withstood transport, abuse, and oppression. That is something that has been concretized chiefly by my father– a Ghanian immigrant, a stranger in this country who in many ways rejected it and its ideals. My sister and I are the only family he really has here and so her and I inherited that resentment and rejection. It made me feel really fucking small my entire childhood, and art, writing, dance, film were all like a lifeline for me. A window. As an artist, I am allowed to feel, to explore, to experience and evoke every emotion. As a man, I am a figure, but as an artist, I am human. My name’s Sena, full name Sena Kwabena Adjei-Agbai. I’m a senior at the University and to put it shortly I’m a Ghanaian-American, arts and culture enthusiast– (At risk of sounding mad pretentious) And in a way, I’ve been a lifelong spectator of high-minded cultural pursuits, and I felt that these spheres were often just beyond my reach. As a young black man in America, true access into these cultural spheres felt guarded, sheltered away from eyes like mine, deemed unqualified and undeserving. That’s what pushed me here.

Madison: I have always been my words. Growing up meant reading Shel Silverstein and Maya Angelou and playing the Thesaurus game with my mother. We’d pick a word, and then pick another, and another. I identify as a writer, and I’ve often struggled to place to this identity in the world of visual art. But, as Martin Heidegger said, “ Words and language are not wrappings in which things are packed for the commerce of those who write and speak. It is in words and language that things first come into being and are.” Visual art is a language that is never foreign, its words are universal.  More often than not, visual art speaks in empathy, in experience, in the exchange of memories. I am my words, and I’d like to think that through my relationship with art that identity expands beyond English.

why we’re writing for UMMA

Madison: I believe that when we create art, we open up pieces of ourselves for others to see that we normally keep stored away. There’s a concept in filmmaking called the suspension of disbelief, where we’re willing to sit down and watch a video knowing full well that it isn’t real, but suspending that disbelief in order to better experience the art. I think this concept travels to our ability to empathize; we put up walls called opinions or predispositions for the everyday, but when we’re affected by art those opinions slip away. Those hard beliefs that were once determined only by our own experience are suspended, and we are left with more questions than so-called answers. The question is what we can do to foster spaces that allow broad audiences to be affected by art from diverse backgrounds. The fact is we’re never going to be able to fully understand each other’s experiences, but we should never stop trying.

I’m writing for this blog because I think a lot of us have stopped trying. Whether it be because of some “left brain” “right brain” cop-out, or because institutionalized “fine art” is intimidating, it isn’t okay. I see art as a route to building relationships, and I believe dialoguing as creators and appreciators is quintessential in building the foundation for a strong community. So let’s rip away those barriers, and use art as a means to restoring dialogue and community in the present.

Sena: One more quote to help me with this one: Louise Bourgeois said, “Art is a way of recognizing oneself”, as a member of certain underrepresented communities it has always been important for me to see my story, my pain and my triumphs played out in the spaces and content I frequent– but especially in the art. Therein lies the value of diverse voices in art: to inspire the next wave of artists who will fill the next volume of stories. I believe in art and culture as a preservation of history, not just in writing down names and dates in books, but collecting the experiences, spirit, and emotion of a group through the eyes of one of their own.

Often times these spheres are too politicized, gatekeepers standing at the ready in order to keep the “undeserving masses” away from museum spaces where their work can be seen and felt. At least that’s how it has always made me feel. I really want to be some small part in changing that. I want to use my voice to maybe inspire the next young black creative to pursue their dreams, or to start a blog, or to say fuck being an Economics major (like I am) I want to dance. The things I’m doing or were fearful of and will never get to. I want them to take that chance because someone looked at their work, and looked at them and said “yes”.  Kind of like UMMA is saying yes to Madison and I by being insane enough to let us talk our shit on here.

what readers can expect

Madison: “I think therefore I am” Descartes used the fact that he thought as a proof to his existence. I use art, connection, and empathy every day as a testament to the fact that I’m here, and I should be, and I’m not alone. I plan to use this space to share my thoughts, and hopefully encourage others to share theirs as well. The more we talk about art, the more we engage with it, and the faster we can break down invisible barriers that keep us on the outside. The more you speak, the more you insist your voice must be heard. So let’s get talking.

Sena: Over the next year I intend to explore works that speak to me, both contemporary and traditional, as I seek to bring a grounded, appreciative, and sardonic look to the often pretentious and stuffy world of art writing. As an enthusiast and a critic, readers can expect a healthy and unapologetic infusion of self into every piece because as art imitates life, there can be no art criticism without a look into oneself. I hope if anyone actually reads this that they’ll bear with me as I not only try to crack into some of these heavier concepts underpinning art and the people and contexts that produce it, but dig into how I’ve come to some of these conclusions and how my journey has given me that perspective.

why this blog is important to us and maybe to ~you~

Sena: As Madison and I prepare to embark on this journey, I find myself growing increasingly excited to share my knowledge and use my platform to start a dialogue on things of lifelong interest to me. As an observer of somewhat historically inaccessible things like art and fashion, one can begin to feel like just that, an observer. That has always infuriated the shit out of me. I’ve always felt sidelined. As a writer for UMMA, this is a chance– even just in my campus community, to get in the game. I’m really excited to fully immerse myself and share my voice and insight, as well as evoking interaction and spawning dialogue between like-minded, or even differently-minded individuals. I’m elated that I get to pursue this opportunity with UMMA as a kind of host-body, and I hope that anyone that gives enough of a fuck to pick through any of these will feel my passion and respond in kind.

Madison: I definitely agree with Sena and have also frequently felt disengaged from the fine art world. Frankly, it has never felt like my unpolished experience could fit in the confines of what seems to be a very rehearsed ordeal. Of course, it’s good to think things through, but the artist’s statement has always felt to me like a bit of a cop-out. Ultimately it isn’t your intention that drives your work, it’s your impact. So, I’m really excited to use this space to talk to about that impact. It’s important to me that we, as a community of young artists and appreciators, declare that the art world can and should incorporate our experiences, even when those experiences aren’t packaged in the same old stuffy way. Art isn’t just for older or richer people and for God’s sake it’s okay to look at a piece and not get anything from it. Frankly, I don’t think you should be afraid to admit that. So, I hope whoever takes the time to read our words isn’t afraid to hear the unsullied truth, because I promise – that’s what you’re getting.

anyone who takes the time to pick through this– thank you in advance, and we hope you enjoy-

M & S

(via ummaannex)