Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do now you're in New York!
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New Yooork!
So I’m in New York right now. Hello from the Big Apple.
Sometimes these super “ranty” pieces are not my favourite to write because they are really informal. Even though I know my readers enjoy my style of writing, I still feel the need to make the pieces as “universally friendly” as possible. But eh, the show must go on.
About a month ago, this message popped into my DM, “I forgot you had this fire. Yeah, I’m ready for you to leave SXM because I need that fire again. You need a reset.” Just a few days later, this message popped into my WhatsApp, “You are wasting your talents here, sir” (along with an article of a St. Martiner having an exhibition in New York). Of course they were from different people.
I think as an artist or creator, St. Martin can become extremely suffocating at times. Don’t get me wrong, there are opportunities and things to do, but it’s really limited. It’s pretty much always the same people and always the same things. We kind of get sucked into this cycle and before we know it, we’re basic.
I’ve evaluated my photography over the last few months, and I’ve seen an improvement in my image quality. I’ve learned to become much more patient when photographing my subject, as well as to be minimal in my post-production. (I feel like if it’s not good in camera, it’s not good in post-production.) Another thing I’ve noticed, which Charlie has also noticed and pointed out to me, is that my concepts seem basic. The work is good, but it doesn’t say, “YAAAAASSS.” I got caught in the cycle.
Miss Bee and I were having a discussion at a Starbucks on Sunday, basically just going back and forth on how important (and amazing) it is for us to just catch a break and leave home for a bit. She gets to take so many different classes and I get to collaborate with so many different models (even models on the cover of big magazines, and on billboards in Time Square. Sorry, shameless). Charlie was here a little while back, too, for Afro Punk and she drilled me for not knowing more about Pusha T. It’s just a whole different world of opportunities and vibes when you get a chance to venture out and just see. As an artist or creator, I am telling you guys you need that reset. You need that eye opener.
And I know, I know. We can bring some of that back to St. Martin, but you don’t know how hard and sometimes demotivating that it. I’ve done three exhibitions locally and they’ve all been well attended; however, if you look closely, it’s always the same faces. Just like Bee said, she could put on her own show, but it’s going to be the same dancers that you always see.
Clara has been making amazing moves for artists and creators on St. Martin. Maybe this is something we should sit and discuss.
Moral of the story: Avoid getting caught in the cycle. Resets are beyond necessary.
*Cues Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys*
