Content aside, I thought his huge jump in scale led to decreased quality and lack of detail.

I do think it is interesting to see how his older magazine covers series is translating into the newer work. In his older work, he made understated references to a larger African and African American history through slight touches like a name on the magazine covers he painted. Even though the names he used were subtle compared to the extremely loud paintings they were integrated in, they made very loud points. In this new work, now it seems like he is turning the tables a bit and is exploring more of how hip hop culture fits into an African identity, as opposed to vice versa. While the bright colored lettering and thought bubbles aren’t as inconspicuous as the “articles” in his previous work, I don’t think it overpowers the black and white paintings below. I actually disagree with Mike. I don’t think this led to a lack of quality at all. I think that Pecou’s competence as a painter is still extremely visible in this work, and I really love the attention to detail in his rendering of all of the fabrics he depicts.

All in all, I think I am excited about this series, because I think that it is an interesting change in perspective from his previous work. I am really curious to see how he continues to build on the new series, as I think he has great ideas. Pecou’s persona he has built around himself alone make him an extremely interesting and dynamic creative personality to pay attention to, and I think that as he goes deeper into the idea of “blackness” as it relates to hip hop culture and an African identity more broadly he is capable of creating increasingly important work.

The critic seems like didn’t have an honest connection and true interest for understanding the artistic perspective of the artist. Saying that he went to Africa so he has African influence is like calling this article a respectable piece of journalism. Its just crazy. It sounds like the “writer” didn’t even interview the artist and if she/he did, they weren’t asking any in depth questions, probably just about his gumbi haircut, “oh its sooo cool!” I was at the show/party and let me tell you, the wine and liquor was pouring and the people were dancing their relaxers out. Its possible the “writer” had so much fun (liquor) that they didn’t know what to write because they couldn’t remember much about the exhibit and only had the few photos above that were given to them by the gallery and not even taken by the journalist themselves. In conclusion, this review sounds like a high school paper that was written the morning it was due and the writer turned it in hoping to get a C-. FAIL writer. Try again next time

Visually, the paintings are big and primarily monochrome, reminiscent of the opening stanzas of Conor Harrington’s stuff. I grew up in Zimbabwe and have been in the US for close to decade now (going back early next year), and personally thought the stated concept of the show had tons of mileage. The 5 pieces touch on some of that. One thing to consider is that these 5 pieces hold up better without the context of Malick Sidibe’s work which is hands-down awesome in its unaffected sincerity.

Part of the writer’s stated disappointment may stem from the fact that Fahamu as an Atlanta art-scene (wow, we have one!?) persona may at times eclipse his work. If you make a distinction between the two, which is iffy. Context… con text. Comes with the territory. The article is perfunctory (do I detect fear of rebuttal?), but anything other than a fecal endorsement was bound to elicit a range of responses, both invested and otherwise. One thing even critics have to admit is that Pecou has taken the self-important bravado of many rappers and embodied it within visual artwork. The juxtaposition with African imagery is interesting and uncomfortable, bling and stunting seem trivial in that context.

2¢

My interest in the work is in how it fails.Ballast werewolf macha polyester bereavement tittle lips. What I identify with is the desire to ,the desire to…mulekick engine swamp godard barber knocked up address the context itself. Equestrian messenger instant orange mercury burlap apple planet How we share,communicate,& value. How we perceive bleeding knees for chinups jezum pesky leather pancake ourselves and affirm ourselves in what we do balloon people. As people,as sandwich clams stank puppetry 3rd st southwest off cleveland pinstriped fedora artists-and as art itself. it can be interesting to apply internet related symptoms to this….whisker of sea salt and parmalat big wig seal flay hurrah ka! ballast.
The reason im interested in the work is also local for me.
So often people seem shocked to realize we have an art scene- with interesting things happening. Buy more mcdonalds Atlanta for so long has been tied to a use more hairspray cycle of reporting an idea of correct pronunciation use your borders rewards marta pass limitations to itself. happy shows for happy vanguard fungus looming electric stereo edition hall syncopated hicks slap banjos Inadvertently and well intended, milltown weave character gerrymanders flofty graphic pods repeat pods repeat pods facade it has replaced compassion with complacence. We play a part presuming there’s this idea of potential,not realizing we orbit occiptal broca speech wernicke comprehension red light cafes laser ourselves have to create it-its not going to create them.and the first thing to do is admit that yr existing situ is false. and wreck it. fahamus borrows from this sentiment as if it is a given. fahumu’s work,hes not a scaled fish in any scale of a pond here. point being…his work ends up falling flat on its own face.twice. technique-is fine. pecan catnip he can push paint ping pong and design fine compositions on time-personality in the strokes themselves the over all feel..not really..so we’re left with the ..uum whater what-er ever wear fluff concept…now what?
The opportunity to take chances here actually should be abound laminated leeches under a sunlamp in august. Freaky amazing experimental stuff should be happening as artists respond to each other-challenging each other-not having to admit that their crap is at least half crap because it had to adhere to professional needs. Blech! stupid tulsa doesnt have the artillery meander local There are places to share like this and ways to share like this in places where it would not seem possible. tooth hair floss vomit.
As timeless a dilemma this is,it prevails here because it does not SEEM TO HAVE the context beneath it that is established by the experimental, the risk taking or otherwise somehow irrelevant and escaping of commodity. (hell-even atl’s graff guys sign their stuff “Murals” with name and contact info….)
Atlanta-saturated with this idea of art,the “arts writers” to date have felt obligated primarily to help the blub blub monsoon trooper dungeon don knotts commercial rehearsal galleries that ultimately regurgitate these expectations. The arts writers have not and cannot be critics. The paradigm crunchy schism flakes created to date obligates behavior. Good things do happen here,but the soil is not fertile. To fertilize it is to address it. To call out not work that makes no “claims”-that work is worth ignoring bcause it simply is wut it iz- Address better itself – As critics and – and better and even and even better!-as artists!and(or better both at even once and about the process as a living performance)

and leave that crack alone!

This eggtooth episode titled, ” i didnt know that i know what you dont”
was brought to you by god not jumping over a chasm he cant make or ” i know you are but what am i?” pt 2…i believe.
What do you think of Fahamu’s work, Orvil?

review will be published in artvoices. publication out of nola. touche’ on the bitch slapping, scott ingram. seriously.
does anyone on here play poker?

I wouldn’t call it a heated conversation, considering half the comments are by a spammer eggtooth, Nike, Kroger, Peter Mayhew, etc.

Oh, and to Mr. Ingram, who wrote:

” … it is important to keep in mind that you are reading a review (an opinion) on the internet. Which may or may not be edited for content of [sic] even grammar.”

Just a friendly FYI about BURNAWAY in general: It is important to keep in mind that ALL of our reviews are edited for content and – yes – even grammar. We have two proofreaders: Joyce Youmans, our Senior Editor, and yours truly. We aren’t perfect, but we do the best we can given our resources. Yes, there’s a lot of crap out there, but there are plenty of experienced writers doing quality work on the internet today. Do you really mean to discriminate against a writer simply because an article is on the web?

(That said, if you find mistakes on our site, please let us know! Improving our publication is a constant effort, and we appreciate your input!)

But I at least think you’re correct in saying that “you can’t get the full message in five paintings.” Still, I don’t think that invalidates Meghan’s statement that — for her — five paintings didn’t convey the same clear, culturally sensitive message that the artist’s statement attributed to the work. I think it’s fair to say that art is experienced differently by those who are familiar with an artist and those who are seeing the work for the first time. I mean, do we really believe that art in Atlanta is created for a handful of people who all know each other on first-name basis?

At the core of Fahamu’s work is a frustraion with the polished and fit for public mechanization that,in meeting preconceived ideas of “done well”-does a damn good job of telling society how to better bling itself.(And actually-By using art)
Not saying that typos and errors (forced errors)make something sacred or experimentally respectful.
But I am saying fahamus work,in its polished edited existence-negates its message by being derivative academic clean polite products.
This is especially relevant in atlanta’s existing cycle of only palating an obviously ineffective idea of professionalism- in a practice-Art- that shld have the will to recognize full potential and needs for given situs and if need be range outside of “proper”packaging and procedure
Perhaps atlanta shld just ban art altogether.

I would like to say, excellent site. Im not sure if it has been addressed, however when using Chrome I can never get the whole site to load without refreshing many times. Maybe just my laptop. Thanks

Theres no problem with that, if you want to use your full 15 seconds every time its your turn then its up to you. 15 seconds still isnt a lot of time to go through all the decisions you need to make…