Issue 006 featured artist Steven Mark Finley Jr. talks about what its like to be an artist in Birmingham
ACM: Can you explain briefly who you are and what you do for our readers?
Steven: I am Steven Mark Finley Jr. I am a mixed media painter and draftsman studying at the University of Montevallo.
ACM: How did you first get into creating art?
Steven: I began creating art at a very young age as a sense of intuition, if you may. It just came to me very naturally. Cartoons played a big part in pushing me towards creating.
ACM: How does living in Birmingham shape your art if it does at all?
Steven: Growing up in the inner city as a child & then attending more affluent schools really put existence into a larger perspective. It is the first foundation of way I create. To make sense of it all.
"We are realizing that we are the outlet if we want to see our city thrive through the arts."
ACM: What is the art community like in Birmingham?
Steven: Its very fresh! We are all emerging out of schools, & day to day jobs to make something greater than us. We are realizing that we are the outlet if we want to see our city thrive through the arts. Our passion is definitely becoming more evident with all the creatives channeling good energy into the city.
ACM: Do you feel like the art community is growing in Birmingham? and what do you think it will add to the city?
Steven: It is growing at a very steady rate. We can all atest to believing that our home can sometimes be a little lackluster but that is only if we sit around and wait for something to happen. All creatives are getting up and making it happen, we want our city to be ours, & in that we will gain a deeper sense of love and pride in Birmingham because this is home. Its all about what we are going to turn our reality of “home” into.
ACM: There are many events old and new for artists in Birmingham, are there any that you particularly enjoy or are a part of?
Steven: From Vibes & Virtues, & The Doreme Media Group, to the Yellow House, as well as the Mix Bham and the Color Door Crew, and all the local musicians who have performed at said events,
Its literally now or never and I am proud to see the passion of these artist and creators shine through each and every event they have hosted this year!
ACM: What do you feel like Birmingham lacks, in terms of spaces/opportunities for artists?
Steven: I believe we are picking up those pieces and filling them ourselves & with the help of great businesses in town like, Manitou Supply at Make BHM, being one to name, there are great, local business owners willing to give creatives a chance to showcase their passions for our city. We are on a steady raise and those gaps are being filled slowly but surely.
"Trying to piece together exactly what does my existence mean for me as a young African American male in America."
ACM: Can you talk about the underlying themes in your work?
Steven: The theme of my work lies in Identity & Gender.
Trying to piece together exactly what does my existence mean for me as a young African American male in America.
". . . we really ultimately, and truly need to recognize, understand, and come to terms with our history. "
ACM: How do you feel race plays a role in today’s media and art?
Steven: Race is huge. Race needs to be the mainstream. We can discuss for hours how representation matters but Hollywood lacks a great deal of it, we can talk about the constant string of police brutality that has been plaguing black Americans, we can name names, Sandra, Tamir, Trayvon, Mike, Eric, EJ, hashtags, tell you about clutched purses on sidewalks, or locked doors during crosswalks, we can dissect the real convolution of Make America Great Again, but first we really ultimately, and truly need to recognize, understand, and come to terms with our history.
ACM: What has using such iconic historic imagery in your work done for your artistic process?
Steven: It has help me see that in a way, we were almost engrained to romanticize the bully. Admire the murderer, the ones willing to commit genocide. Whilst also mocking the dead. Its shown me a kind of sick obsession that no one wants to acknowledge but can so easily sweep under a rug. Blackface being this weird juxtaposition of admiration and mockery. Why else adorn yourself in painted skin and lips if you did not want to have those features yourself? It only begets more questions really for me. I find one answer, but end up having to search for 2 or 3 more.
ACM: What is it like to be working in a southern city like Birmingham?
Steven: Its even more important and heavy to talk about here because not even a solid 60 years ago out city was nicknamed Bombingham. Need I say more?
I can not sit here and not make work that tries to engage ones most difficult thoughts. My professor hit me with a quote that resonates heavily stating, “Without research, making “art” is just an exercise in futility.”
Gotta know whats really going on.
ACM: What other artists do you look at for inspiration?
Steven: There is a strong emergence of contemporary African American fine artists that everyone needs to know about, those being Nathanial Mary Quinn, Cheyenne Julien, & David Legett, as well as Titus Kaphar & Kara Walker