By Khalil Waldron
Before our nearly two-hour discussion, I had no idea who Ivorian-American artist Marvin Touré was or what he stood for in the broader scheme of things in the world. Our conversation took us through a wide range of topics, including his history and heritage, his creative aesthetic, the camaraderie of the art community, and our shared thought of the freedom one finds with self-expression.
You probably won’t notice him in a crowded room, as Touré prefers to inconspicuously observe his surroundings, but that’s OK because his work usually communicates enough. More often than not, his pieces will command attention and come off as loud in the sense of being strong or emphatic in nature, but it is all by design for the 25 year old’s plan for success.
“It was interesting to see that something that I did for myself, people resonated with and maybe what I have to say is important,” said Touré. “It was an interesting realization when I found that out because it’s like, ‘Oh, I do have a voice,’ and I should use it.”
Believe it or not his career started with a switch of his major in 2012. As an undergrad, his creativity led him from architecture to new media arts, in which he became well-versed in using technology to create, combining his passions. He didn’t leave the principles of architecture as he gravitated to multidisciplinary art while earning his Master of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts (SVA), finding innovative ways to trigger the human response to the space and given area of his pieces.
When speaking about his installation pieces Touré said, “I think about what’s already there and then work around that. It’s not just about on the wall, it’s about how people feel in the space, how they move around the space, and how they engage with the work.” His work, he tells me, is also designed and sprinkled with references throughout that are significant to him. A skill often utilized by the most talented of architects like Tinker Hatfield.
If he could make it in New York, he could make it anywhere, or at least that’s how he saw it. When it came to finding that freedom of expression, he sought out one of the world’s most welcoming spaces that would either break or propel his creative ambitions.
“I knew that I wanted to come up to New York, I think it was just in my head, when you’re not from here you have this vision of New York,” said Touré, who was born in Takoma Park, Maryland. “Plus, I was doing something creative and […] if you’re doing something creative, New York, L.A., Paris, those are the places you want to be.”
The transition wasn’t the easiest because this wasn’t something he could just jump into. Touré spoke briefly of just how big of a leap it was to have those creative ambitions stifled by his family’s reservations about him going into a field that isn’t structured like most occupations. His parents, both West African immigrants from The Ivory Coast, didn’t see the practicality in art because of the way the field varies in terms of earning a steady paycheck.
“They’re supportive, as long as I’m happy and successful,” he says. “That’s what they care about, most concerned with, me being able to fend for myself.”
[Images: Khalil Waldron]
bruh where ya mind at? by Marvin Touré
As we sat in the epicenter of the SVA x Skowhegan exhibition directly on display in front of us was Touré’s contribution. The collection is known for being highly-competitive in its selection of pieces and artists. His offering, bruh where ya mind at?, serves as a take on the effects of western conditioning on the minds of young Black males and their self image. It hangs beside one of Touré’s favorite artists, who he cites as the reason for him attending SVA. The moment seemed all too real for Touré as he took it in. The prestigious Skowhegan residency is one that offers space and resources to emerging visual artists during an intensive nine-week program based out of Skowhegan, Maine.
“My most natural state is to be quiet and observant and to be in the corner peeping everything, and I think making the work is a way for me to express all of those observations I’ve made when I’m quiet and looking,” he explained.
The conversation moved toward his creative processes that, he says, revolve heavily around music -– specifically 1970s reggae by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer -– which serves as the catalyst to his projects. He’ll channel different musical inspirations for different moods. His affection for Hip-Hop covers the full spectrum from the most humble of artists to those who carry themselves with extra pounds of braggadocio. They all resonate with Touré, who is far from arrogant but at the same time heavily sure of himself and wants to be heard and understood.
“I think for the most part that comes from my upbringing,” Touré said. “My father always taught me to be humble, and then my mother always instilled this sense that I’m special and I deserve to get what I strive for and to be heard.”
His southern hospitality is a breath of fresh air in a world and a city where some of the greatest creative individuals and public figures are deemed controversial. That juxtaposition and balance given to him from his roots back home make him not only a hot ticket, but a more enigmatic artist. He will command your attention without begging for it and then thank you for listening to his story. His morals and his values won’t allow him to sit quietly by the wayside, but at the same time he’ll always prefer the high road of agreeing to disagree instead of not having a discussion at all.
“When you speak your truth, not everybody is going to like what you have to say,” explained Touré. “When somebody shows you something that’s outside of your belief system, that very well can shake the foundation of your life views, people are going to react a certain way.”
[Images: Khalil Waldron]
In a time in which aggression and tension between classes, races, and authority is met with quick haste to sprinkle Kumbaya on delicate and difficult situations, Touré doesn’t mind taking the time to figure out just what the problem is between everyone and figure out what we aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on.
“You can’t let anybody block your money, block your knowledge, block your forward progression,” Touré told me as we discussed life in America and common goals. He talks of his desire to speak to people, all people, and hopes his works can serve as the megaphone that he speaks from. He intends to open up the often difficult dialogue that can lead to a better understanding of himself and human beings period.
“There is no right way to be American, an American can look like anything … Being Black in America, to me, is understanding what it means to be looked over and then triumph through that and then also what it means to come to this country looking for a better life,” he said.
As a fan of his piece Mad Conqueror: PTSD of a Young Atlanta Nigga, I couldn’t help, but offer up my interpretation, viewing it as a showing of the struggles faced by the Black man in America today: No matter how transcendent or triumphant you are in your field and things you achieve, race will always be on your mind and there’s no escaping it and the negative connotations that are meant to keep us from truly being championed. The concept stood out to me, personally, because it was an expression on how it speaks to us as a people mentally. “It wasn’t Black people who created racism in this country, so they alone can’t fix the problem,” he said.
The conversation shifted from American issues and politics to the art scene on a global scale. Touré expressed his interest to connect with artists from different backgrounds and countries, wanting to do shows in different parts of the globe, and keeping the conversation going worldwide. He acknowledged that he noticed a sense of elitism in the community, and new people who latched on as he passed each milestone –- his enrollment at SVA, his first few shows, and his residency at Skowhegan -– but the mild-mannered Touré doesn’t lose sleep over who ignored him at the start, because his mind is still on raising the ceiling.
The African-American art community is a small one, and Touré isn’t one to shy away from representing his people and carrying the torch. He is aware that visibility is everything and would love to empower others by doing what he loves and expressing himself creatively, growing his platform as he progresses.
To learn more about Marvin Touré and see more of his artwork, please visit his website, MarvinToure.com.
[Images: Khalil Waldron]