POST 2: Influences In Art Practice - Mohamed Camara

1. Who are the 5+ artists you chose?

• Maurice Sendak
• Tim Burton
• Jean-Michel Basquiat
• Chip Kidd
• Shawn Coss

2. What are 5+ themes these artists explore in their work?

Maurice Sendak's works explore themes of resilience, the unknown, imagination, harsh realities, and navigating difficult emotions. He believed that children are much more perceptive than adults assume and that they seek meaningful, passionate stories rather than overly safe ones.

Tim Burton's work delves into themes of isolation, alienation, and dark aspects of human nature, including family, death, loss of innocence, and revenge. His unique gothic style embraces these eerie, melancholic themes.

Jean-Michel Basquiat's work centers on themes of racism, classism, identity crisis, and power struggles in America. He used bold colors and textures to create emotional intensity and bring energy to his pieces.

Chip Kidd's work focuses on themes of minimalism, timelessness, nostalgia, and puzzles. As a book cover designer, he often prioritizes simplicity while still creating visually striking and thought-provoking designs.

Shawn Coss's work explores themes of mental health, depression, body dysmorphia, and death. Like Burton, he incorporates a dark, gothic aesthetic that complements the heavy subject matter of his art.

3. What are 5+ challenges these artists faced in creating their work?

Maurice Sendak struggled with the trauma of losing family members in the Holocaust, which deeply influenced his art and mental state. He also faced health issues that made it difficult to work, and frequent criticism for his work being deemed too dark or inappropriate for children. His books were often censored, and early in his career, he had to work his way up by illustrating psychology textbooks.

Tim Burton dealt with feelings of not fitting in, depression, and the struggles of becoming an independent filmmaker. He often faced creative challenges when trying to make movies that were unique and personal to him, as not everyone shared his vision. His work was also criticized for lack of diversity.

Jean-Michel Basquiat faced racism, poverty, heroin addiction, and the pressures that came with fame. His personal struggles often found their way into his art, adding depth but also making his life more difficult.

Chip Kidd's dealt with changing the norms of book designing, 

Shawn Coss faced mental health struggles, which inspired much of his work but also created difficulties in his life. He has dealt with criticism from people who believe his art does not accurately depict mental health issues. Additionally, creative blocks have also slowed his work process down. 

4. What are 5+ inspirations you drew from these artists?

I was really inspired by Maurice Sendak’s perspective on childhood—how he believed children don’t need sugar-coated stories but rather real, thought-provoking ones. His approach made me rethink how I want to communicate through my own work.

Jean-Michel Basquiat’s ability to embed deeper meanings into his art also stood out to me. His work isn’t just incredible; it carries a strong message, which I want to incorporate into my own work.

Shawn Coss’s focus on mental health is another aspect that resonated with me. I appreciate how his art raises awareness of difficult topics.

I admire these artists’ work ethics, most of them were incredibly dedicated to their craft.

You can make it through adversity.

Lastly, I love their attention to detail. Even in the simple designs, there’s an intentionality that makes their work stand out. They also create using what’s available to them, which is something I’d like to embrace more in my own work.

5. What are 5+ things you would like to incorporate into your own work after learning about these artists?

I didn’t watch any videos from Art21; I researched and found videos of artists who interested me. However, based on what I’ve learned, I want my work to bring awareness to mental health and expose the darker behaviors of human nature. I aim to be honest and direct in my art rather than stray from difficult topics. I also want to keep my work simple yet detailed, making sure every element has meaning. Also if they can do it so can I, all of these artists have been through the wringer and have delivered amazing work without complaint, "If they can do it, so can I." Lastly, I want to develop strong work habits, just like these artists.