Finally tonight, it's time for our weekend spotlight with acclaimed
artist Kadir Nelson.
Perhaps you've seen his work featured on the cover of the New Yorker
magazine or hanging in the U. S. House of Representatives lining
the walls of a museum or gallery or popping off the pages of one
of his more than 30 Children's books.
Dear Nelson's work is unmistakable. His oil paintings superlative.
His rich palette and exceptional technique evoke both modern urban
realism and masterly works of turn of the century American painters.
I spoke with Kadir Nelson while he was in Washington, D. C for the
unveiling of his portrait of humanitarian chef Jose Andres at the
Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.
He explained how he sought to capture Andres, whose world Central
Kitchen serves hot meals around the globe to people in areas hard
hit by natural disasters and conflict.
Well, my idea was to so
Or depict Jose Andres and his environment.
Um, being the activist that he is the philanthropist? Um, an incredible
chef. Um, and how all of that has kind of come together and in his
world would he emphasizes that he wants to
To feed the people.
Familiar food. He looks at food in a way. That's very it's very intimate,
very personal, and it's a way to
Not only sustain people but to uplift people to carry them through
these difficult moments that they're faced with. Can you walk us
through your technique? I mean, how do you envision something like
this in your mind's eye?
And actually bring it to fruition. How do you make this happen? Well,
first I had to meet Jose and his family and try to get to know him
to understand him and his mission. Um and what's important to him.
I think we were having dinner of all things, and he mentioned that
his mother was like a force of nature.
And
I thought it was really interesting because Jose often shows up after
this force of nature has occurred, so I thought that it would be
really
Good idea to depict Jose kind of
Showing up after this storm has occurred. You started drawing and
painting at a fairly young age. And it was your uncle and a high
school art teacher who who taught you technique? Is that right? My
uncle Mike, Um, who lives in Maryland? He
Essentially identified my gift at a very young age and encourage
my parents too.
Um, to support it. So my uncle gave me a lot of instruction, art
instruction. Um, my mother and my father. They gave me a lot of art
materials to work with. Um, When I got to high school, I was kind
of further ahead and a lot of kids because I had that instruction
at a very early age and I think really helped propel me forward into
the world of art.
Let's look at two more of your works. This is sweet liberty and distant
summer. And what strikes me about these two is the play on patriotism.
So the one on the left distance summer seemed like it was very appropriate
for that moment because I did this painting during the pandemic,
So it was really my
Take on
What it would be like for kids experiencing social distancing during
the pandemic. One of the last images for 2020 I did was of this one
Sweet liberty, which was released around the time of the very controversial
election and November 2020. And they end up becoming somewhat patriot
patriotic because, of course, they're red, white and blue.
But the one on the right specifically very patriotic because it's
a commentary on on the election. How do you describe your style?
You know, I think it's very difficult for me to describe my style.
I think what's identifiable is my palate.
And then also, I would say, um
A lot of my work is figurative.
And it's emotional. All of that plays into or is heightened by the
tools that I use, lighting, composition, color and so forth. So I
started to describe my style, but I think it's pretty identifiable.
And this was the cover of Rolling Stone in the summer of 2020, inspired
by the famous Delacroix painting, and at the center of your piece.
You have this heroic African American woman with a flag bandana around
her neck and a little boy. What was the intention? The idea behind
that
someone described. My work is very American. I think.
Very true. Um, it's certainly a theme that often comes up in my work,
of course, being in America as an African American. I think very
much informs my work, and I think a lot of it kind of came to a head
during the pandemic. When you know a lot of my work used to be very
historical and then became more contemporary as I began doing paintings
that were set.
In real time so shortly after George Floyd was murdered, and all
of the protests began happening all around us.
Um it made a lot of sense, too.
Create artwork that spoke to that moment, and that's where this painting
came from. You mentioned the pandemic. Let's look at after the storm,
because this is really a celebration of the human spirit.
Connected to the pandemic. This painting was done right at the beginning
of the pandemic. When we all thought we were going to be kind of
shuttered in for only two weeks, and I felt that it was very important
to create a painting that was kind of full of light and
And celebrated humanity. And in a moment when
I think the intimacy of social contact was missing in our lives because
we were all you know, in quarantine.
And kind of not
Really able to hug one another shake hands for me. It was like
Creating image that gay people some sense of security, reminder of
humanity and something to look forward to kind of carry us through
that moment.
Your work hangs in museums and hangs in galleries. You were sought
after by collectors, but your art is also very accessible. You do
album covers album covers two There was Drake's album cover, and
then you also did an album cover from Michael Jackson. What was the
story behind the one from Michael Jackson
done a painting that hung in the recording studio in Los Angeles
that
Used to be owned by Marvin Gaye and the man that was kind of refurbishing
this studio.
I wanted to make it a shrine to Marvin Gaye's. I did a whole bunch
of paintings of Marvin Gaye. Michael Jackson actually recorded there,
and he would often go to the to the studio just to look at the paintings
and, you know, also record, You know, um so
He saw the paintings and called me and asked me if I could do one
for him. Uh,
But
Um, you know, bigger Jackson. When did you get to do what you have
done for Marvin Gaye. But bigger and better. That's right. That's
right. Unfortunately, he passed away before I could really get going
on it. But I end up doing the painting anyway for the guy that owned
the studio and then Drake ended up
Later recording their solos, paintings and thought, you know
I would be a good fit to create the artwork for his album cover as
you see it, when is art most effective?
I think art is most effective when
It's there's something up inside of people, the work that I create.
I intend for it to
To remind people of the better parts of themselves because I feel
that if, um you see something that reminds you of something
That
Is beautiful about yourself.
Integris or something that is that reminds you of your inner strength.
And and then.
Pushes you to move in that direction. Then I think that I've kind
of I've done my job as an artist, too. You know for that purpose,
could your Nelson I appreciate you appreciate your time. And thanks
so much for coming in. Thank you so much for having me.