CHAD  KRISTIAN

Entertain me. 

Asshole. (laughs)  I’ve painted in everything I own.  I think that living here you have to be smart when deciding what to wear no matter what season it is.  Most of the year its hot anyway so I’ve learned not to make a fuss about the heat and wear whats comfortable.  Right now - a pink chambray, some dark denim and my favorite loafers. No socks.  Any other time, it will range from worn cut-off jean shorts and a thin polo or I’m going somewhere of importance and need to put on a linen blazer and a tunic.  Same jeans.  Same loafers.  Not much changes my way.  I try to keep it simple.  But I do love clothes.  Hands down, I love a fine suit and my opera band slippers but it’s not the every day Chad.  (laughs)  

Okay, let’s get down to it.   Let’s talk “THE ARTS”.  Whose work do you admire?   Currently following?  Your favorite artist(s)?

I’ll say this, there are tons of artists that I love and those that I can’t even name who are worthy of my praise.  I respect, follow, read up on, study and research them all but none at the moment have had a lasting impression on me of this magnitude other than the late Dr. Cheryl McKay Dixon.  May her name and work live on in the art realm next to all of our legends forever.  Axé!  She was an excellent artist and an even greater teacher.  It’s one of those things I have to remind myself the most; not only what I am thankful for but of who also.  Master Teacher! (laughs)  

She sounds like she was a special person?  

Was she?  What would you say to her now?

She was!   Eclectic, intelligent and all.  I remember how she would slay us in class all the time (deep sigh).  She taught us with a great sense of pride and respect for the arts (I admired that about her); as well as the tenacity to handle us smoothly without even knowing she was preparing us for a future in art.  She challenged us.  She challenged me.  From that point on I knew who I wanted to impress, if no one else.  I would tell her today that I love her and am honored to have been one of her students while at Dillard.  I hate that we don’t say - I love you enough - I’m still learning to do that. 

Cool.  Understood.  But is there anyone you are currently following that you would like to acknowledge or share?

Right now I’m following the great works of El Anatsui, Jas Knight, Shikeith (who did this kick-ass film - Black Men Dream), Shanequa Gay and Fehamou Pecou.  I’ve been following Pecou for some time and most recently saw the exhibition he did with Jose Parla earlier this summer over at the High Museum in Atlanta.  I also enjoy viewing art on social media.  It’s not something I thought we’d see today next to the everyday selfie but it’s kind of cool to see the works of other artists.  It gives me hope.  I don’t think I would've ever discovered great artists like Markus Prime without the help of my Tumblr account.  My attitude is to simply be supportive of it all.  At this moment, we have yet to see an end coming to social media despite the tons of crazy things happening out there in cyberspace.  However, I’m grateful for it in some ways because it has allowed for the expansion of various platforms that I support and share like - Black Lives Matter.  

What are your thoughts on the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag?   Is it necessary, worthy of a RT?

I won’t bother going too far down my timeline with all of the hashtags I’ve posted but I think this one is more than a movement here in the states - it’s definitely something expressed across the world.  Black Lives Matter is more than just another hashtag or slogan uttered across the world trending as popular black culture in response to black struggle. It was initially installed as a campaign against the illicit death of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, John Crawford III and Eric Garner.  But now..  Now, it’s a call to the collective black conscious amongst other things.  I applaud the great works of Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullers and Opal Tometi for more than the hashtag but their collective works in the struggle.  

You know it’s like we’ve been stuck on the same channel for so damn long even the reruns don’t look like reruns any more… ..because we’ve forgotten what we were watching from the start.  For some, it may feel like fresh wounds with what we are dealing with in the states but in actuality (for those who are of a certain age, well read or both) it’s more like like fresh tares on old wounds that we thought were healed.  It’s crazy in the U.S. right now.  Politically and socially.  Police Culture in America has always included the mass targeting of blacks.  Zero fucks given since the days of slavery.  From Overseer to Warden and Officer.  This shit ain’t new.  I don’t believe there is one community in this country, where we reside, that hasn’t shared in the same experiences in the massive loss of black lives.  I wonder what the number count is now?  You know it’s trending on social media right?!?  Genocide.  For real.  What I find troubling most is the constant struggle and conflict in black communities across the country; especially in areas that were once considered Black Meccas.  For example, my beloved New Orleans.  Have you been recently?!  Since Katrina?  It’s practically been 10 years since she hit the city.

Huge fucking cultural shift.  Fuck Katrina.  The transition thats taking place right now is so fucked for people of color, black people.  I swear I keep telling people - Black New Orleans Matters.