Brooklyn-born Darrell Urban Black is a visual artist and US Army Veteran presently living in Frankfurt, Germany. His very distinct and arresting work comes in a variety of mediums including pen and ink drawings, acrylic paintings on canvas wood, and mixed media objects. His work is permanently displayed in several art galleries, museums, and other institutions in America and Germany. Moreover, his work has been displayed in veteran art shows including one at Intel® Corporation in 2014. It was a pleasure to discuss his background, practice, and current projects.
Thank you for agreeing to catch up with Occhi Magazine. When did your interest in visual art start?
My interest in art began early in childhood, growing up my parents had a miniature sculpture of artist Rodin’s “The Thinker” and other abstract paintings by various artists on the wall. At the time, I never took any real interest in it but what I loved was space and anything to do with science. As a child growing up, I created my creative interpretation of spacecraft including futuristic worlds and cities using any and all household items I could find: utensils, clothespins, and garden tools anything I could find to feed my fantasy. This was my first introduction to art without realizing it, but my main focus was always science.
Are there any particular artists that have influenced your work and approach to developing your practice?
Three visual artists who continue to have an impact on me and my artwork are Mark Rothko, Jean Michel Basquiat, and Jacob Lawrence. These artists, in my opinion, are the most daring and provocative of the 20th century. Basquiat, helped me to formulate the poetic narratives used in some of my artwork. Mark Rothko encouraged me to be more daring by simplifying some of my images down to pure color and form. Jacob Lawrence’s vibrant art style of the black American experience gave me ideas and examples that I can emulate in my own images.
Please tell us more about your creative process and ‘Definism’- the term you use to describe it?
When deciding to start on a work of art my mind is clear and free of all worry. I start on a canvas from every direction and within the throes of creation, I’m a mere spectator. My advice when creating is free your mind and let your hands do what they do in the creating process. The artist is only a spectator to creation. The job of the artist is to clean up the mess left behind by creation, fine-tuning the image by adding color, defining lines that make up the painting; fixing things up. I refer to my work as “Definism” an optical artistic illusion that portrays differences in human nature from life’s everyday dramas to the human quest to understanding ourselves. I want my art to transport viewers from the daily doldrums of everyday life to a visual interpretation of an alternative non-reality. Definism creates imaginary portraits, places, and imagery that cannot be found in the world but still looks so real when it appears on the surface of paper and canvas.
Your work featured in New York’s Times Square for the exhibition titled ‘SeeMe Takes over Times Square 2014′. I recall seeing it. Please tell our readers more about this project.
SeeMe Takeover Times Square was an open-air event held in the middle of Times Square New York City. It was a three-day event where millions of people attended from all over the world a spectacular display of creativity shown in the largest of formats in one centralized place. The only art display to come close to the SeeMe event is Artist Christo and his wrapping of landmasses, buildings, and objects. My small work on paper artwork was digitally superimposed on the W building in Times Square, New York, this was a three-day group event sponsored by art group “SeeMe”, an American arts-sharing organization whose goal is to bring attention and visibility to unknown and emerging visual artists accomplished this feat by presenting the artwork of their membership in elaborate public venues. It was a very exciting time for me as an up and coming artist, having my artwork displayed on the video billboard in New York’s Times Square, and in the following year, my artwork was displayed in a group exhibition on digital tv screens for a one-day event in the “Louvre Museum Paris”. I decided to leave the organization when the leadership changed and the new focus of SeeMe was only on photography and fashion.
You joined the National Guard and the US Army. To what extent has your experience serving shaped your practice?
Growing up, I spent much of my time drawing accumulating a large body of drawings. I joined the National Guard, left for six months of training and upon returning home my earlier artworks were all lost. I was devastated, vowing to never draw again. A few months later, I enlisted in the regular army and, after basic training, transferred overseas to Germany. This new military life overseas preoccupied me with responsibilities, friendships, and undiscovered European culture. The reawakening of my artistic ability happened by accident, while fully engaged in my life as a soldier. I was sorting through a box of photographs and stumbled across ten images of my early artwork with only a vague memory of what I created in the past. It intrigued me so I attempted to draw again and, after weeks of many failed attempts, recognizable images started to appear. At that moment, I made myself a promise never to give up my art practice again no matter what happens.
You were nominated by the German government as a candidate for the year’s prize for promising young artist. Please tell us more about the piece ‘The Invasion’ and your nomination.
The nomination was the brainchild of the Zeppelin Museum near Frankfurt, Germany. It’s a historical museum displaying the history of airships of the past. I was asked by the former director to paint a large airship for the lobby of the museum, the project turned out to be a painting on wood 3meters long and 2meters high. A huge undertaking on my part and, being a modern artist, I used my imagination and created a modern artwork of the airship and a scene from the movie “War of the Worlds”. When the finished artwork was presented to the museum director, she instantly hated the painting but accepted it on the museum’s behalf. Months later, I made a surprise visit to the museum to see the placement of my painting in the lobby but to my dismay, the painting found its new home in the basement behind a curtain with rows of chairs stacked in front. It was pretty shocking and amusing all at the same time. In that same year, the Zeppelin Museum nominated me for the prize for promising young artists.
What has been your greatest challenge as an artist?
I think my greatest challenge has been struggling to have my artwork and art style known as “Definism” fully accepted by the art world, which in my opinion, is oversaturated by a very large and diverse field of artists, who are themselves faced with the burden of artwork shipping and insurance costs. Also, the continuous purchasing of art supplies and lack of financial support from art institutions and collectors, leaving many creatives unable to continue their creative practice continually.
You’ve had an exciting career so far. What would you say has been your proudest achievement, and why?
I think my greatest moments in life have been many. For example, the numerous interviews to explain my art style or the multiple art venues and group exhibitions which gave me lots of public visibility and exposure with the opportunity to discuss my art style called “Definism”. But, if I had to pick one achievement that really made me very proud, it would have to be my artwork displayed in New York’s Times Square, this was a once in a lifetime event, never to be repeated, in a post-covid-19 world. Millions of people being gathered in one place for the sake of art.
You are a member of the Veteran Artist Program abroad (EuroVAP) Can you enlighten us further on the program’s objective?
“The Veterans Artists Program” Is a non-profit organization that attempts to highlight the hidden talents of former US military members with the main chapter in New York. The organization conducts visual art exhibitions all over the United States but represents talented military veterans worldwide. Many of the venues and themes are centered around the trauma of military service.
What projects are you currently working on?
My recent art projects are two digital art displays held in Switzerland, and an upcoming covid-19 artwork on mask display at the Copelouzos Family Art Museum in Greece.
Where can readers find out more about you? ( please provide any updated websites/ social media:
- Darrell Black (@definismart) / Twitter
- darrell black (@definismart) • Instagram photos and videos
- Darrell Black | Facebook
- Art And Social Justice | ATOD Magazine: A Taste Of Dawn
- Darrell Urban Black Quotes
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