The Artists

My portraits are about abandonment, racism, poverty, pain, suffering, the healing process, exaltation, mercy, forgiveness and the importance of family. I paint in a non-traditional style, building my canvases with plastic knives used to create different textures on the surface. It is this rough, painterly, expressionistic application and use of a very colorful palette which make my paintings very different than many portraits.Hip Hop and Urban Culture has influenced my painting in many ways. First, Hip Hop and Urban Culture showed me that no matter what limitations we have, or no matter what we are up against, we can use our experience to promote a positive change in our lives. We can use the "hood", or Urban Culture and all the problems surrounding it to portray it's beauty, and it's resilience. Through Hip Hop, I have learned about issues such as pan-africanism (X-clan, Poor Righteous Teachers, etc.) and worldwide negritude (Mos Def, "Mister Nigga"). Through emcees and break beats I learned that we are all one people and our "struggles" are interconnected. Most importantly, Hip Hop has given me the swagger to be fully confident in my own ability. It has also shown me the way to autonomous thinking with it's do-for-self mentality.

Artist's Website:
blackfruitpunch.com


		I am a visual artist from Fort Wayne, IN. I studied English and Film Studies at the University of Rochester. During my undergrad education I was both an athlete as well as a visual artist. Working in different mediums including sculpture, painting and photography. I have shown work in the Fort Wayne Museum of Art (Fort Wayne, IN), the Allen County Public Library (Georgetown Branch, Fort Wayne, IN), the High Museum of Art (Atlanta, GA), and at the University of Rochester (Rochester, NY). During my last semester of school my mother was in a major car accident which required me to return to Indiana to help care for her. During this time I was able to make contacts with people and gain commissions by selling work out the trunk of my car to barber/beauty shops, restuarants, auto/body shops and other businesses. Since then I have transplanted to Brooklyn, NY, had the blessing of becoming father of a bright young kid named "The Boy" and worked my ass off to paint and stay above water.

	Charnier T. Corey
	Portraiture	Brooklyn, NY