WEBVTT 1 00:00:37.390 --> 00:00:38.379 All right, I think we can get 2 00:00:38.380 --> 00:00:39.669 started. 3 00:00:39.670 --> 00:00:41.499 Thank you all for joining us 4 00:00:41.500 --> 00:00:43.539 for today's lunchtime art talk, 5 00:00:43.540 --> 00:00:45.129 which, as many of you know, is a 6 00:00:45.130 --> 00:00:47.589 weekly series led by Hammer curators 7 00:00:47.590 --> 00:00:49.869 on works from our collection. 8 00:00:49.870 --> 00:00:51.669 This series will focus on artists 9 00:00:51.670 --> 00:00:53.169 featured in Made in L.A. 10 00:00:53.170 --> 00:00:55.029 2020: a version. 11 00:00:55.030 --> 00:00:57.069 Free reservations to visit our 12 00:00:57.070 --> 00:00:58.779 biennial at the Hammer Museum are 13 00:00:58.780 --> 00:01:00.549 available now online. 14 00:01:00.550 --> 00:01:02.859 Visit our website to reserve your 15 00:01:02.860 --> 00:01:05.079 your ticket and reserve 16 00:01:05.080 --> 00:01:06.080 your slot. 17 00:01:09.070 --> 00:01:10.209 My name is Nicholas Barlow. 18 00:01:10.210 --> 00:01:11.469 I'm a curatorial assistant at The 19 00:01:11.470 --> 00:01:13.629 Hammer and I'll be facilitating 20 00:01:13.630 --> 00:01:15.319 this afternoon's talk on Umar 21 00:01:15.320 --> 00:01:16.179 Rashid. 22 00:01:16.180 --> 00:01:18.129 After the presentation, I 23 00:01:18.130 --> 00:01:20.049 will be able to answer any questions 24 00:01:20.050 --> 00:01:21.050 you may have. 25 00:01:22.760 --> 00:01:24.799 A few Zoom notes before we begin: 26 00:01:24.800 --> 00:01:26.419 when the presentation starts, please 27 00:01:26.420 --> 00:01:28.279 select speaker view 28 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:29.779 in the top right corner of your 29 00:01:29.780 --> 00:01:31.699 screen and the top middle of 30 00:01:31.700 --> 00:01:33.829 your screen. Please select view 31 00:01:33.830 --> 00:01:35.749 option to ensure side 32 00:01:35.750 --> 00:01:37.609 by side and fit to 33 00:01:37.610 --> 00:01:38.959 window. Those are all in quotes in 34 00:01:38.960 --> 00:01:39.960 my script. 35 00:01:40.550 --> 00:01:42.469 Make sure all of those are checked. 36 00:01:42.470 --> 00:01:44.569 Please note that today's program is 37 00:01:44.570 --> 00:01:46.399 being recorded. 38 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:48.679 You have the option to toggle 39 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:51.139 your camera on and off 40 00:01:51.140 --> 00:01:53.239 at the the camera icon 41 00:01:53.240 --> 00:01:54.619 in the bottom. 42 00:01:54.620 --> 00:01:56.359 If you do not want to be featured in 43 00:01:56.360 --> 00:01:57.649 the recording, you just turn the 44 00:01:57.650 --> 00:01:58.909 camera off. 45 00:01:58.910 --> 00:02:00.469 You will remain on mute until the 46 00:02:00.470 --> 00:02:01.669 end of the presentation, at which 47 00:02:01.670 --> 00:02:03.349 point I will unmute those who have 48 00:02:03.350 --> 00:02:05.719 questions during the presentation. 49 00:02:05.720 --> 00:02:07.429 If you have any questions for me, 50 00:02:07.430 --> 00:02:09.679 including any technical issues, 51 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:10.909 you can ask those in the chat 52 00:02:10.910 --> 00:02:11.929 feature at the bottom of your 53 00:02:11.930 --> 00:02:13.069 screen. 54 00:02:13.070 --> 00:02:15.619 Someone from our team will 55 00:02:15.620 --> 00:02:17.539 help and answer those if they're 56 00:02:17.540 --> 00:02:18.650 not related to the program. 57 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:21.649 So with that, I think we can start 58 00:02:21.650 --> 00:02:23.149 talking about Umar Rashid's work. 59 00:02:23.150 --> 00:02:25.499 So let's pull up the slide. 60 00:02:25.500 --> 00:02:26.500 Thank you. 61 00:02:30.730 --> 00:02:32.709 Umar Rashid is a Chicago born 62 00:02:32.710 --> 00:02:34.359 Los Angeles based artist whose 63 00:02:34.360 --> 00:02:36.099 practice moves across painting, 64 00:02:36.100 --> 00:02:37.929 drawing, sculpture, garment and 65 00:02:37.930 --> 00:02:39.759 music at the core of 66 00:02:39.760 --> 00:02:41.199 his practice and at the core of his 67 00:02:41.200 --> 00:02:43.569 work is an ever expanding cosmology 68 00:02:43.570 --> 00:02:45.609 of alternative histories and 69 00:02:45.610 --> 00:02:47.859 revisionist historical narratives. 70 00:02:47.860 --> 00:02:50.889 Reconfigurations of official--in 71 00:02:50.890 --> 00:02:53.169 quotes, "official"--historical 72 00:02:53.170 --> 00:02:55.239 record shifted to acknowledge, 73 00:02:55.240 --> 00:02:57.459 champion and plug in figures 74 00:02:57.460 --> 00:02:59.379 marginalized, oppressed and 75 00:02:59.380 --> 00:03:01.569 often erased from those histories. 76 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:05.319 Rashid's work is informed 77 00:03:05.320 --> 00:03:07.299 by a wide array of hyper 78 00:03:07.300 --> 00:03:08.619 reference. 79 00:03:08.620 --> 00:03:10.599 Cultural figures and historical 80 00:03:10.600 --> 00:03:12.759 symbols plucked from a panoply 81 00:03:12.760 --> 00:03:14.709 of cultures and times 82 00:03:14.710 --> 00:03:16.539 time periods which, when merged 83 00:03:16.540 --> 00:03:18.369 together, collapsed geography 84 00:03:18.370 --> 00:03:19.370 and temporality. 85 00:03:20.650 --> 00:03:22.389 Though his figures can sometimes be 86 00:03:22.390 --> 00:03:24.429 rendered in simple sketch like 87 00:03:24.430 --> 00:03:26.349 forms, Rashid steers 88 00:03:26.350 --> 00:03:29.019 clear of simplistic dichotomies, 89 00:03:29.020 --> 00:03:31.059 challenging the viewer with complex, 90 00:03:31.060 --> 00:03:34.209 iconographic language of arcane 91 00:03:34.210 --> 00:03:36.579 classifying systems and cosmological 92 00:03:36.580 --> 00:03:37.580 diagrams. 93 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:41.039 Umar is a self-described 94 00:03:41.040 --> 00:03:43.469 storyteller who takes historical 95 00:03:43.470 --> 00:03:45.389 fact to the base and imprints 96 00:03:45.390 --> 00:03:47.549 upon it reconstructed history, 97 00:03:47.550 --> 00:03:49.409 often surreal, often 98 00:03:49.410 --> 00:03:51.299 absurd, but with a serious 99 00:03:51.300 --> 00:03:53.039 focus on the looming ghosts of 100 00:03:53.040 --> 00:03:55.349 colonialism and its long violence 101 00:03:55.350 --> 00:03:56.429 and long effects. 102 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:03.159 His painterly tales complicate 103 00:04:03.160 --> 00:04:05.769 the idea of what is true and false, 104 00:04:05.770 --> 00:04:07.599 prompting us to consider 105 00:04:07.600 --> 00:04:09.309 whether the truths that we are 106 00:04:09.310 --> 00:04:11.139 taught may in back may in fact 107 00:04:11.140 --> 00:04:13.059 be lies, fabricated 108 00:04:13.060 --> 00:04:14.799 myths to continue and maintain 109 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:16.800 systems of power and oppression. 110 00:04:18.149 --> 00:04:20.249 Today, I'll be focusing specifically 111 00:04:20.250 --> 00:04:22.049 on Rashid's triptych currently on 112 00:04:22.050 --> 00:04:24.059 display at The Hammer, which has 113 00:04:24.060 --> 00:04:25.679 an incredible title, which I'll read 114 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:26.680 right now: 115 00:04:49.440 --> 00:04:50.399 The Battle of Malibu (In Three Parts) 1795: Part One, See battle. Little red corvette; Part Two, The death of Father Wiyot. If we can do this to a god, imagine what we'll do to you; Part three, Surfriders vs the Jaguars from Mars, 2020. 116 00:04:50.400 --> 00:04:51.400 Next slide. 117 00:04:56.750 --> 00:04:58.489 I will use this work to discuss 118 00:04:58.490 --> 00:05:00.799 Rashid's practice and idiosyncratic 119 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:02.629 visual lexicon, 120 00:05:02.630 --> 00:05:04.219 which the artist has been honing and 121 00:05:04.220 --> 00:05:05.719 expanding for decades. 122 00:05:05.720 --> 00:05:07.639 I will also attempt to decode some 123 00:05:07.640 --> 00:05:09.409 of the symbols and visual motifs 124 00:05:09.410 --> 00:05:10.760 peppered throughout this work. 125 00:05:12.530 --> 00:05:14.129 Here it is in display at the Hammer 126 00:05:14.130 --> 00:05:15.979 Museum, which I would like to 127 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:17.539 emphasize now that we are open, 128 00:05:17.540 --> 00:05:18.836 especially for works like Rashid's, 129 00:05:21.380 --> 00:05:23.299 for Umar's, I would 130 00:05:23.300 --> 00:05:24.709 recommend you come and see it in 131 00:05:24.710 --> 00:05:25.669 person. 132 00:05:25.670 --> 00:05:27.529 Not only so that you can capture 133 00:05:27.530 --> 00:05:29.119 the scale, but the hyper detail, 134 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:31.369 which you'll see as we continue on. 135 00:05:31.370 --> 00:05:33.469 It really, really benefits from 136 00:05:33.470 --> 00:05:34.850 a kind of close reading. 137 00:05:36.080 --> 00:05:37.080 Next slide. 138 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:40.809 Umar Rashid was born in Chicago 139 00:05:40.810 --> 00:05:43.119 and raised on the city's south side. 140 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:44.319 His father was an artist and 141 00:05:44.320 --> 00:05:45.549 playwright. His mother was an 142 00:05:45.550 --> 00:05:47.799 actress and illustrator. 143 00:05:47.800 --> 00:05:49.659 As a kid, Umar would mainly stay 144 00:05:49.660 --> 00:05:51.399 inside reading history books and 145 00:05:51.400 --> 00:05:53.229 encyclopedias given to him 146 00:05:53.230 --> 00:05:54.999 by his grandmother, a valuable 147 00:05:55.000 --> 00:05:56.859 spark, igniting his 148 00:05:56.860 --> 00:05:58.539 intense interest in history and 149 00:05:58.540 --> 00:05:59.540 mythology. 150 00:06:00.340 --> 00:06:02.229 He studied at Chicago's Institute 151 00:06:02.230 --> 00:06:04.149 of Positive Education, now 152 00:06:04.150 --> 00:06:06.489 called the Betty Shabazz Academy. 153 00:06:06.490 --> 00:06:08.199 It was here he received an education 154 00:06:08.200 --> 00:06:09.969 that emphasized and championed black 155 00:06:09.970 --> 00:06:12.009 history and versed in students 156 00:06:12.010 --> 00:06:13.359 in the work of black artists and 157 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:14.360 historians. 158 00:06:15.630 --> 00:06:17.159 Umar moved to Los Angeles around 159 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:18.160 2000. 160 00:06:19.190 --> 00:06:20.719 For many years, he worked under a 161 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:23.179 series of pseudonyms and monikers 162 00:06:23.180 --> 00:06:25.669 musically, he has performed as 163 00:06:25.670 --> 00:06:28.279 Ken Cyclone, an improvizational 164 00:06:28.280 --> 00:06:30.229 music and song generator, 165 00:06:30.230 --> 00:06:32.209 as one half of Super Deluxe, 166 00:06:32.210 --> 00:06:34.099 a throwback 80s rap group 167 00:06:34.100 --> 00:06:35.959 with MCA jams and is 168 00:06:35.960 --> 00:06:38.419 the grim teachers of 169 00:06:38.420 --> 00:06:40.309 a faux golden age hip hop 170 00:06:40.310 --> 00:06:41.299 group. 171 00:06:41.300 --> 00:06:43.069 It was only in 2014 that he did his 172 00:06:43.070 --> 00:06:44.599 first solo exhibition under his 173 00:06:44.600 --> 00:06:46.639 birth name, Umar Rashid. 174 00:06:46.640 --> 00:06:47.640 Next slide. 175 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:55.849 Rashid's most notable and longest 176 00:06:55.850 --> 00:06:57.709 operating moniker was Faux 177 00:06:57.710 --> 00:06:59.779 Hawk to Feathers, a name he don 178 00:06:59.780 --> 00:07:01.849 to embody the role of scribe 179 00:07:01.850 --> 00:07:04.129 and documenter of a fictitious 180 00:07:04.130 --> 00:07:06.199 battle, the fictitious battles 181 00:07:06.200 --> 00:07:08.179 and exploits of the French ghoulish 182 00:07:08.180 --> 00:07:10.219 empire, an imaginary union 183 00:07:10.220 --> 00:07:12.199 powerhouse combined of the French 184 00:07:12.200 --> 00:07:14.449 and English lasting from sixteen 185 00:07:14.450 --> 00:07:16.639 fifty eight through eighteen eighty. 186 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:20.789 For 17 years, more 187 00:07:20.790 --> 00:07:22.859 documented this complex 188 00:07:22.860 --> 00:07:24.869 historical saga which played out 189 00:07:24.870 --> 00:07:27.059 over large and small canvases 190 00:07:27.060 --> 00:07:28.829 and across drawings, portraits, 191 00:07:28.830 --> 00:07:30.989 maps, costumes and faux 192 00:07:30.990 --> 00:07:32.100 battle flags. 193 00:07:33.490 --> 00:07:35.499 And these works, Umar depicts 194 00:07:35.500 --> 00:07:37.449 battles of the Franglish 195 00:07:37.450 --> 00:07:39.849 agents for Franglish 196 00:07:39.850 --> 00:07:42.099 soldiers against native populations 197 00:07:42.100 --> 00:07:43.389 of the lands they're trying to 198 00:07:43.390 --> 00:07:45.159 colonize and I guess against 199 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:47.409 competing imaginary empires 200 00:07:47.410 --> 00:07:49.329 such as the North American Belhaven 201 00:07:49.330 --> 00:07:51.489 Republic and the Dutch Batvian 202 00:07:51.490 --> 00:07:52.490 Empire. 203 00:07:53.950 --> 00:07:55.809 Rashid has an extensive and 204 00:07:55.810 --> 00:07:57.549 prolific writing practice which 205 00:07:57.550 --> 00:07:59.079 accompanies his patented works and 206 00:07:59.080 --> 00:08:00.999 objects, he writes out 207 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:02.919 the stories that give background 208 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:05.649 to his visual works extensively 209 00:08:05.650 --> 00:08:07.209 researched these histories, become a 210 00:08:07.210 --> 00:08:09.669 guide to Umar and 211 00:08:09.670 --> 00:08:11.559 a key to the viewer, a way for us 212 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:12.939 to access them. 213 00:08:12.940 --> 00:08:14.319 In many ways, he's taking this kind 214 00:08:14.320 --> 00:08:16.329 of hybrid of history and 215 00:08:16.330 --> 00:08:17.859 he's started to collapse them into 216 00:08:17.860 --> 00:08:19.749 stories and hone them and 217 00:08:19.750 --> 00:08:21.729 trying to make a kind of 218 00:08:21.730 --> 00:08:23.889 multiverse, a narrative, 219 00:08:23.890 --> 00:08:25.149 a larger narrative 220 00:08:26.230 --> 00:08:29.139 or cosmos in which he engages. 221 00:08:29.140 --> 00:08:30.140 Next slide. 222 00:08:33.990 --> 00:08:35.969 The Battle of Malibu, Malibu, which 223 00:08:35.970 --> 00:08:37.678 I mentioned is at the Hammer Museum, 224 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:38.969 has a corresponding work at the 225 00:08:38.970 --> 00:08:40.019 Huntington, which I'm not really 226 00:08:40.020 --> 00:08:41.159 going to talk about right now, 227 00:08:42.270 --> 00:08:44.249 which is equally intricate and 228 00:08:44.250 --> 00:08:46.109 amusing and and has a 229 00:08:46.110 --> 00:08:48.059 and intense and funny and 230 00:08:48.060 --> 00:08:50.729 dark and morose 231 00:08:50.730 --> 00:08:51.779 and macabre. 232 00:08:53.850 --> 00:08:56.369 And it also has an incredible title, 233 00:08:56.370 --> 00:08:58.619 which is Stockholm Colefax. 234 00:08:58.620 --> 00:09:00.479 Seventeen ninety five. 235 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:03.089 Goodbye, Censullo, my tormentor. 236 00:09:03.090 --> 00:09:05.579 I still love you on the colonized 237 00:09:05.580 --> 00:09:07.439 mind or a possible escape 238 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:09.719 into apathy or unbridled 239 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:11.909 joy, unbridled joy upon death 240 00:09:11.910 --> 00:09:13.649 of your oppressor, followed by 241 00:09:13.650 --> 00:09:14.879 raucous laughter. 242 00:09:16.140 --> 00:09:18.119 And this I mean, 243 00:09:18.120 --> 00:09:20.219 this is really kind of apt for 244 00:09:20.220 --> 00:09:22.199 a lot of practice, which 245 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:24.059 is that it has this incredible, 246 00:09:24.060 --> 00:09:26.549 long, intricate kind of 247 00:09:26.550 --> 00:09:28.799 18th century title. 248 00:09:28.800 --> 00:09:30.629 And also it has these kind of 249 00:09:30.630 --> 00:09:32.639 turn of phrase is happening and 250 00:09:32.640 --> 00:09:34.649 this playfulness to stop 251 00:09:34.650 --> 00:09:36.569 Stockholm, California, 252 00:09:36.570 --> 00:09:37.469 or California. 253 00:09:37.470 --> 00:09:39.389 Is it kind of also a reference to 254 00:09:39.390 --> 00:09:41.759 Stockton, California, you could say, 255 00:09:41.760 --> 00:09:43.619 but also this idea of Stockholm 256 00:09:43.620 --> 00:09:45.479 syndrome, especially looking at 257 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:47.819 the idea of of enslaved 258 00:09:47.820 --> 00:09:50.099 people who basically had Stockholm 259 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:52.229 syndrome with their kind of 260 00:09:52.230 --> 00:09:54.149 with the enslavers 261 00:09:54.150 --> 00:09:55.150 that the 262 00:09:56.580 --> 00:09:57.580 next slide. 263 00:10:01.280 --> 00:10:03.350 And now to the Battle of Malibu. 264 00:10:05.730 --> 00:10:07.409 The Battle of Malibu is the 265 00:10:07.410 --> 00:10:09.599 culmination of over five years, 266 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:11.729 five years of work 267 00:10:11.730 --> 00:10:13.979 and research on the colonization 268 00:10:13.980 --> 00:10:15.629 and violence enacted upon the native 269 00:10:15.630 --> 00:10:17.369 population of Southern California, 270 00:10:17.370 --> 00:10:19.079 specifically the Tungamah and 271 00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:21.359 Chumash people by the Spanish 272 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:22.559 empire. 273 00:10:22.560 --> 00:10:24.389 It is a focus on the oppressive 274 00:10:24.390 --> 00:10:26.249 and violent mission system which 275 00:10:26.250 --> 00:10:28.289 enslaved native populations. 276 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:31.909 To whom are this 277 00:10:31.910 --> 00:10:34.129 the imagining, the sight of Malibu 278 00:10:34.130 --> 00:10:36.019 as a kind of sight for war was 279 00:10:36.020 --> 00:10:38.080 a it was an amusing and kind of 280 00:10:40.280 --> 00:10:42.659 fascinating exercise for him to 281 00:10:42.660 --> 00:10:44.839 he started to think about Malibu 282 00:10:44.840 --> 00:10:46.699 and the rocky cliffs and how hard it 283 00:10:46.700 --> 00:10:48.409 would be to kind of enact a battle 284 00:10:48.410 --> 00:10:50.269 or to take a mountain, 285 00:10:50.270 --> 00:10:52.219 but also thought about 286 00:10:52.220 --> 00:10:54.079 the kind of current day Malibu and 287 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:56.329 this idea of this hub of wealth 288 00:10:56.330 --> 00:10:58.009 and these amazing homes and 289 00:10:58.010 --> 00:10:59.959 imagining that as a site for 290 00:10:59.960 --> 00:11:01.699 a battle or a kind of historic 291 00:11:01.700 --> 00:11:03.829 battle that never happened, 292 00:11:03.830 --> 00:11:05.689 which is to say that the battle of 293 00:11:05.690 --> 00:11:06.979 Malibu, this term 294 00:11:08.570 --> 00:11:10.219 actually is not a reference to a 295 00:11:10.220 --> 00:11:11.869 real battle, but a fabricated one. 296 00:11:12.890 --> 00:11:14.749 This kind of idea of Malibu and 297 00:11:14.750 --> 00:11:16.699 destruction reminds me of a bit 298 00:11:16.700 --> 00:11:18.679 of a chapter 299 00:11:18.680 --> 00:11:20.749 of a book, 300 00:11:20.750 --> 00:11:22.909 a chapter from the historian 301 00:11:22.910 --> 00:11:24.889 Mike Daviss 302 00:11:24.890 --> 00:11:26.779 book, Ecologies of Fear, 303 00:11:26.780 --> 00:11:28.579 in which he has a chapter titled The 304 00:11:28.580 --> 00:11:30.769 Case for Letting Malibu Burn. 305 00:11:30.770 --> 00:11:32.569 It's the same kind of imagining 306 00:11:32.570 --> 00:11:34.159 happening, though, in a different 307 00:11:34.160 --> 00:11:35.029 way. 308 00:11:35.030 --> 00:11:36.030 Next slide. 309 00:11:38.450 --> 00:11:40.369 Mama came to this story, 310 00:11:40.370 --> 00:11:41.899 the idea of the Battle of Malibu, 311 00:11:41.900 --> 00:11:43.819 actually, it's been a long time 312 00:11:43.820 --> 00:11:45.469 coming. As I mentioned, over five 313 00:11:45.470 --> 00:11:47.419 years of research, but it 314 00:11:47.420 --> 00:11:49.609 actually started in some ways 315 00:11:49.610 --> 00:11:51.589 with his work, his earlier work 316 00:11:51.590 --> 00:11:53.389 in dealing with franglais and 317 00:11:53.390 --> 00:11:54.979 thinking about the kind of 318 00:11:54.980 --> 00:11:57.979 colonization and battles of 319 00:11:57.980 --> 00:12:00.079 eastern United States, 320 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:02.179 but also kind of a separate series 321 00:12:02.180 --> 00:12:03.649 or a kind of continuation of that 322 00:12:03.650 --> 00:12:05.569 series that he was doing on the 323 00:12:05.570 --> 00:12:06.589 Caribbean. 324 00:12:06.590 --> 00:12:08.839 And so both works 325 00:12:08.840 --> 00:12:10.579 from the kind of eastern United 326 00:12:10.580 --> 00:12:12.169 States and the Caribbean started to 327 00:12:12.170 --> 00:12:14.509 slowly move east 328 00:12:14.510 --> 00:12:16.369 and move inland and 329 00:12:16.370 --> 00:12:18.049 from the Caribbean, move up the 330 00:12:18.050 --> 00:12:20.239 Yucatan. And in his drawings 331 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:22.189 and writings, everything started 332 00:12:22.190 --> 00:12:23.569 to move west. 333 00:12:23.570 --> 00:12:25.279 And so this is also the culmination 334 00:12:25.280 --> 00:12:27.439 of many years of slowly 335 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:29.359 crossing across the United States 336 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:30.649 to end up at the shore. 337 00:12:32.600 --> 00:12:33.600 Next slide. 338 00:12:35.150 --> 00:12:36.709 I'm going to try to go through some 339 00:12:36.710 --> 00:12:38.179 of the images in here and I have a 340 00:12:38.180 --> 00:12:39.559 lot of slides, I'm going to try to 341 00:12:39.560 --> 00:12:40.369 do it really quickly. 342 00:12:40.370 --> 00:12:41.479 But just once again, want to 343 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:43.249 emphasize that what you should do, 344 00:12:43.250 --> 00:12:44.599 if you can and when you feel 345 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:46.549 comfortable to do so, is come 346 00:12:46.550 --> 00:12:48.109 to the hammer or go to the 347 00:12:48.110 --> 00:12:49.489 Huntington to see these works in 348 00:12:49.490 --> 00:12:50.029 person. 349 00:12:50.030 --> 00:12:51.030 They really 350 00:12:52.100 --> 00:12:53.929 it really benefits from a very 351 00:12:53.930 --> 00:12:55.759 close reading because it 352 00:12:55.760 --> 00:12:57.470 has this kind of hyper detail. 353 00:13:01.500 --> 00:13:03.329 Umar in the battle of 354 00:13:03.330 --> 00:13:05.369 Malibu, Tippex 355 00:13:05.370 --> 00:13:07.319 native cultures 356 00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:09.059 and native peoples at war with 357 00:13:09.060 --> 00:13:10.649 colonizers and at war with the 358 00:13:10.650 --> 00:13:12.539 Spanish, but in a kind of 359 00:13:12.540 --> 00:13:14.639 way that embraces a 360 00:13:14.640 --> 00:13:17.189 very a variety 361 00:13:17.190 --> 00:13:19.169 of of kind of visual 362 00:13:19.170 --> 00:13:21.239 styles and especially kind of drawn 363 00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:23.609 styles. So he's taking from not only 364 00:13:23.610 --> 00:13:26.489 a kind of historical 365 00:13:26.490 --> 00:13:28.649 renderings of battles done by 366 00:13:29.850 --> 00:13:31.979 Native Americans, 367 00:13:31.980 --> 00:13:33.989 specifically, let's say the 368 00:13:33.990 --> 00:13:35.819 Plains Tribe Leger art 369 00:13:35.820 --> 00:13:37.919 of people like Red Horse 370 00:13:37.920 --> 00:13:40.019 documenting battles, but is also 371 00:13:40.020 --> 00:13:41.999 borrowing from comic books, also 372 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:44.189 borrowing from a kind of Chicano 373 00:13:44.190 --> 00:13:46.229 car culture and kind of 374 00:13:46.230 --> 00:13:47.730 a drop in culture 375 00:13:49.680 --> 00:13:51.599 to try to render all 376 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:53.429 of this cacophonous battle 377 00:13:53.430 --> 00:13:54.989 that is happening. 378 00:13:54.990 --> 00:13:55.990 Next slide. 379 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:00.829 Umar works in code 380 00:14:00.830 --> 00:14:02.689 the many times there are codes 381 00:14:02.690 --> 00:14:05.029 and kind of puns spread throughout 382 00:14:05.030 --> 00:14:07.219 the throughout the canvas. 383 00:14:07.220 --> 00:14:09.499 So here we have a figure 384 00:14:09.500 --> 00:14:11.179 which is is written on the card, 385 00:14:11.180 --> 00:14:13.249 says Black Jesus 386 00:14:13.250 --> 00:14:14.719 driving in a Corvette. 387 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:16.549 And we have the Corvette both as 388 00:14:16.550 --> 00:14:18.949 a stand in for the car, 389 00:14:18.950 --> 00:14:20.749 but also for the French Navy 390 00:14:20.750 --> 00:14:22.519 warship, the Corvette. 391 00:14:22.520 --> 00:14:24.859 And also, as in talking to 392 00:14:24.860 --> 00:14:26.779 Umar Rashid reference says it's also 393 00:14:26.780 --> 00:14:28.339 a reference to the nineteen seventy 394 00:14:28.340 --> 00:14:30.259 eight Mark Hamill comedy 395 00:14:30.260 --> 00:14:32.329 Corvet Summer, 396 00:14:32.330 --> 00:14:34.279 which I think no one has seen 397 00:14:34.280 --> 00:14:36.259 except mama. 398 00:14:36.260 --> 00:14:37.730 I had no idea about it. 399 00:14:39.350 --> 00:14:41.509 But this code in this kind of 400 00:14:41.510 --> 00:14:43.789 piling on of code and applying 401 00:14:43.790 --> 00:14:45.859 many, many different codes and many, 402 00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:47.629 many different symbols is not 403 00:14:47.630 --> 00:14:49.459 necessarily to be read 404 00:14:49.460 --> 00:14:50.989 or easily understood. 405 00:14:50.990 --> 00:14:52.819 You're supposed to kind of live with 406 00:14:52.820 --> 00:14:54.349 it, move through it, take what you 407 00:14:54.350 --> 00:14:55.399 can from it. 408 00:14:55.400 --> 00:14:57.349 But really what's happening is more 409 00:14:57.350 --> 00:14:59.329 is creating this massive 410 00:14:59.330 --> 00:15:01.159 network of images to kind of get 411 00:15:01.160 --> 00:15:03.559 at these grander stories 412 00:15:03.560 --> 00:15:05.449 of kind of conflict, battle, 413 00:15:05.450 --> 00:15:07.819 colonization, violence 414 00:15:07.820 --> 00:15:08.989 and long history. 415 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:12.240 Next slide. 416 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:16.129 As I mentioned, it is documentation 417 00:15:16.130 --> 00:15:18.329 and a representation also 418 00:15:18.330 --> 00:15:20.449 of a kind of reference to 419 00:15:20.450 --> 00:15:22.429 the native population 420 00:15:22.430 --> 00:15:24.659 of Southern California, specifically 421 00:15:24.660 --> 00:15:26.719 the Tongva and the 422 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:27.109 Chumash. 423 00:15:27.110 --> 00:15:28.819 And he actually pointed out to me 424 00:15:28.820 --> 00:15:30.679 that Malibu, the term Malibu, the 425 00:15:30.680 --> 00:15:32.569 original name for Malibu, would 426 00:15:32.570 --> 00:15:34.549 have been Malibu, which 427 00:15:34.550 --> 00:15:36.169 is the Chumash version of talking 428 00:15:36.170 --> 00:15:37.819 about Malibu, is once again trying 429 00:15:37.820 --> 00:15:40.009 to plug in this narrative 430 00:15:40.010 --> 00:15:41.960 into a kind of grander 431 00:15:44.330 --> 00:15:46.279 history of battle, but kind 432 00:15:46.280 --> 00:15:48.589 of focusing on and giving empathy 433 00:15:48.590 --> 00:15:50.479 and focus towards the kind 434 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:52.129 of native and oppressed in this 435 00:15:52.130 --> 00:15:54.529 moment population 436 00:15:54.530 --> 00:15:55.970 within that. Next slide. 437 00:15:57.950 --> 00:16:00.169 Umar is a self-taught artist, and 438 00:16:00.170 --> 00:16:01.819 he was trained in many ways by kind 439 00:16:01.820 --> 00:16:03.709 of just a constant absorbing not 440 00:16:03.710 --> 00:16:05.749 only of history, as I mentioned, 441 00:16:05.750 --> 00:16:07.429 but also just a visual studies and 442 00:16:07.430 --> 00:16:10.459 just every kind of visuality, 443 00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:12.439 every kind of visual art form, 444 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:14.389 from comic books to fine art 445 00:16:14.390 --> 00:16:16.609 to kind of Persian miniatures. 446 00:16:16.610 --> 00:16:18.619 And so it not only is the work 447 00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:19.909 kind of collapsing of history, but 448 00:16:19.910 --> 00:16:21.769 Umar himself is a representation of 449 00:16:21.770 --> 00:16:23.209 many, many different styles, all 450 00:16:23.210 --> 00:16:25.279 kind of sandwiched together. 451 00:16:25.280 --> 00:16:27.109 And I think it's very interesting 452 00:16:27.110 --> 00:16:28.309 to think about his work also in 453 00:16:28.310 --> 00:16:29.749 relationship to other kind of 454 00:16:29.750 --> 00:16:30.769 self-taught artists, 455 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:34.279 such as figures like Bill Traylor 456 00:16:34.280 --> 00:16:36.229 and Howard Finster, and this idea 457 00:16:36.230 --> 00:16:38.269 of people who would be making 458 00:16:38.270 --> 00:16:40.129 these expansive worlds that are 459 00:16:40.130 --> 00:16:42.289 all kind of interconnected through 460 00:16:42.290 --> 00:16:44.299 illustration and through these kind 461 00:16:44.300 --> 00:16:45.829 of building up. 462 00:16:45.830 --> 00:16:46.830 Next slide. 463 00:16:49.110 --> 00:16:50.669 And there are these little moments 464 00:16:50.670 --> 00:16:52.619 that capture that once 465 00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:54.059 again when you get close to it that 466 00:16:54.060 --> 00:16:56.069 you have, you can take time 467 00:16:56.070 --> 00:16:57.070 with. 468 00:16:58.020 --> 00:16:59.519 And again, I think that's something 469 00:16:59.520 --> 00:17:01.559 to another advertize to come 470 00:17:01.560 --> 00:17:02.879 and see the words in person, if you 471 00:17:02.880 --> 00:17:03.779 can. 472 00:17:03.780 --> 00:17:05.068 One of the major reference points 473 00:17:05.069 --> 00:17:07.169 also for Umar is 474 00:17:07.170 --> 00:17:09.239 next slide, the 15th 475 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:11.368 century painter 476 00:17:11.369 --> 00:17:12.959 from the Netherlands, Hieronymus 477 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:13.618 Bosch. 478 00:17:13.619 --> 00:17:15.779 And so Bosch, and especially 479 00:17:15.780 --> 00:17:17.219 at work such as this, the Garden of 480 00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:19.078 Earthly Delights creates 481 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:20.519 has created. This creates this 482 00:17:20.520 --> 00:17:22.889 massive cacophony of 483 00:17:22.890 --> 00:17:24.959 incredibly dense chaos, 484 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:26.608 of biblical narrative, historical 485 00:17:26.609 --> 00:17:28.289 narrative, and all kind of piled up 486 00:17:28.290 --> 00:17:29.639 onto each other in this hyper 487 00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:31.709 surreal, humorous, 488 00:17:31.710 --> 00:17:32.940 horrifying, 489 00:17:34.920 --> 00:17:37.019 absurd 490 00:17:37.020 --> 00:17:38.219 panorama. 491 00:17:38.220 --> 00:17:39.959 And that is something that is very 492 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:41.969 much felt and seen within an hour's 493 00:17:41.970 --> 00:17:43.829 work as this panorama of both 494 00:17:43.830 --> 00:17:46.019 simultaneously kind of 495 00:17:46.020 --> 00:17:48.059 humor, horror 496 00:17:48.060 --> 00:17:50.159 and a surreal 497 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:52.139 depictions of time and 498 00:17:52.140 --> 00:17:54.089 of of the past and of kind 499 00:17:54.090 --> 00:17:56.039 of spirituality and and 500 00:17:56.040 --> 00:17:57.690 mythology all at once. 501 00:17:58.800 --> 00:17:59.800 Next slide. 502 00:18:03.730 --> 00:18:05.829 And I'll talk 503 00:18:05.830 --> 00:18:06.999 a little bit about this, when we 504 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:09.339 have some, I'll decode some of them. 505 00:18:09.340 --> 00:18:11.499 We have this kind of spiritual 506 00:18:11.500 --> 00:18:13.239 kind of ghost of a rattlesnake that 507 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:14.709 moves across in the center. 508 00:18:14.710 --> 00:18:16.719 We have the figure of the 509 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:18.849 wizard from the movie, the 1978 510 00:18:18.850 --> 00:18:20.499 movie The Wiz. 511 00:18:20.500 --> 00:18:22.809 All of these in some ways speaking 512 00:18:22.810 --> 00:18:24.729 towards this idea of 513 00:18:24.730 --> 00:18:26.709 kind of a collapse of 514 00:18:26.710 --> 00:18:28.539 visual styles and a collapse 515 00:18:28.540 --> 00:18:29.540 of 516 00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:33.069 renderings of kind of spirituality, 517 00:18:33.070 --> 00:18:34.899 but also renderings of history 518 00:18:34.900 --> 00:18:36.309 and kind of documentation. 519 00:18:36.310 --> 00:18:37.719 But also that's kind of collapsed 520 00:18:37.720 --> 00:18:38.950 temporality. Next slide. 521 00:18:40.470 --> 00:18:41.519 I'm going to move through a little 522 00:18:41.520 --> 00:18:42.869 bit faster because I realize I'm 523 00:18:42.870 --> 00:18:44.489 taking some time, but I wanted to 524 00:18:44.490 --> 00:18:46.199 bring up this idea that one of the 525 00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:48.269 biggest kind of main points in 526 00:18:48.270 --> 00:18:49.769 the work and one of the main kind of 527 00:18:49.770 --> 00:18:51.329 threw lines through is this idea of 528 00:18:51.330 --> 00:18:52.169 the mission system. 529 00:18:52.170 --> 00:18:53.489 So what we have is we have these 530 00:18:53.490 --> 00:18:55.229 figures, usually the natives 531 00:18:56.580 --> 00:18:58.799 or at war with 532 00:18:58.800 --> 00:19:00.449 it, kind of different kind of 533 00:19:00.450 --> 00:19:02.399 factors of the Spanish army and 534 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:04.259 also depicting the kind of 535 00:19:04.260 --> 00:19:06.629 Fryer's of the mission system 536 00:19:06.630 --> 00:19:08.639 in a series of kind of matrix like 537 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:10.589 flips and kicks and a kind of 538 00:19:10.590 --> 00:19:12.419 superpower throwing God to 539 00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:14.339 energy at native people and 540 00:19:14.340 --> 00:19:16.439 then defending that. 541 00:19:16.440 --> 00:19:18.479 I liked we talked 542 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:19.829 when we talked when I talked to 543 00:19:19.830 --> 00:19:21.179 Umar, we talked a little bit about 544 00:19:21.180 --> 00:19:23.639 this idea of the mission system, 545 00:19:23.640 --> 00:19:25.139 but also the kind of mission 546 00:19:25.140 --> 00:19:25.969 projects. 547 00:19:25.970 --> 00:19:27.719 So for a long time in California, 548 00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:28.720 there was a serious 549 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:32.849 assignment that was given to fourth 550 00:19:32.850 --> 00:19:34.289 graders in which they would kind of 551 00:19:34.290 --> 00:19:35.879 do research on different missions 552 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:36.989 across California. 553 00:19:36.990 --> 00:19:38.819 And they would make these renderings 554 00:19:38.820 --> 00:19:40.859 and they would make these kind of 555 00:19:40.860 --> 00:19:42.869 with kind of two 556 00:19:42.870 --> 00:19:44.969 toothpicks kind of built out 557 00:19:44.970 --> 00:19:47.039 versions of the missions. 558 00:19:47.040 --> 00:19:49.109 This program has stopped because 559 00:19:49.110 --> 00:19:50.639 it seemed to kind of really 560 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:52.499 whitewash and and really kind of 561 00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:54.329 avoid the actual dark history of the 562 00:19:54.330 --> 00:19:56.669 mission system, which was very 563 00:19:56.670 --> 00:19:58.769 much about kind of which included 564 00:19:58.770 --> 00:20:00.749 enslavement and through violence 565 00:20:00.750 --> 00:20:02.099 towards native population of 566 00:20:02.100 --> 00:20:03.809 Southern California. 567 00:20:03.810 --> 00:20:05.909 But I like within 568 00:20:05.910 --> 00:20:07.739 within Umar's work and within 569 00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:09.329 the series, you have this kind of 570 00:20:09.330 --> 00:20:11.159 accepting 571 00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:13.409 of the mission 572 00:20:13.410 --> 00:20:15.389 system and that how a child 573 00:20:15.390 --> 00:20:16.919 would render it. So this child is 574 00:20:16.920 --> 00:20:18.569 rendering of the missions, but it's 575 00:20:18.570 --> 00:20:20.099 imbued with the violence of their 576 00:20:20.100 --> 00:20:21.899 actual history simultaneously. 577 00:20:21.900 --> 00:20:22.900 Next slide. 578 00:20:24.390 --> 00:20:26.549 Umar works a lot in turn of phrases, 579 00:20:26.550 --> 00:20:28.379 we have Junipero Serra, we 580 00:20:28.380 --> 00:20:29.399 have Sara. 581 00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:31.229 This is both a figure, a reference 582 00:20:31.230 --> 00:20:33.209 to the Spanish 583 00:20:33.210 --> 00:20:35.759 friar, but also 584 00:20:35.760 --> 00:20:37.889 to Richard Sara, the painter. 585 00:20:37.890 --> 00:20:39.779 We also have an El Camino and 586 00:20:39.780 --> 00:20:42.449 that El Camino being both the car 587 00:20:42.450 --> 00:20:44.309 and also the Royal Road, 588 00:20:44.310 --> 00:20:46.559 the 600 mile road connecting 589 00:20:46.560 --> 00:20:48.119 the twenty one Spanish missions 590 00:20:48.120 --> 00:20:49.739 throughout California. 591 00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:50.740 Next slide. 592 00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:57.329 We also have make a man 593 00:20:58.580 --> 00:21:00.599 in referencing a kind of Kool-Aid 594 00:21:00.600 --> 00:21:02.279 man, but also referencing the 595 00:21:02.280 --> 00:21:04.439 beverages made from a dried 596 00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:06.359 floral of your maika and 597 00:21:06.360 --> 00:21:08.279 hibiscus flowers breaking through 598 00:21:08.280 --> 00:21:10.109 this wall of gold bricks. 599 00:21:10.110 --> 00:21:11.110 Next slide. 600 00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:16.079 And we also have these kind of 601 00:21:16.080 --> 00:21:18.119 mythic figures and cartoon and 602 00:21:18.120 --> 00:21:19.439 figures pulled from different 603 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:21.119 sources and applied to this kind of 604 00:21:21.120 --> 00:21:22.409 historic battle. 605 00:21:22.410 --> 00:21:23.410 Next slide. 606 00:21:24.520 --> 00:21:26.439 We have Silver Surfer from Marvel 607 00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:28.479 in this case, Mama speaks 608 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:30.759 of him as actually a beacon 609 00:21:30.760 --> 00:21:32.879 of good or a beacon of power. 610 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:34.989 We also have this bear with lasers 611 00:21:34.990 --> 00:21:37.089 shooting of a zine's taken from 612 00:21:37.090 --> 00:21:39.069 the arcade game or 613 00:21:39.070 --> 00:21:41.409 the kind of arcade box that 614 00:21:41.410 --> 00:21:43.239 Space Invaders, which he has taken 615 00:21:43.240 --> 00:21:44.769 and now implanted on onto this 616 00:21:44.770 --> 00:21:45.549 battle. 617 00:21:45.550 --> 00:21:46.550 Next slide. 618 00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:53.440 Next slide. 619 00:21:56.570 --> 00:21:58.219 And I want to end by talking about 620 00:21:58.220 --> 00:22:00.169 this one section, which 621 00:22:00.170 --> 00:22:01.170 is an F Anon, 622 00:22:02.210 --> 00:22:03.970 a reference to Frantz Fanon, 623 00:22:05.690 --> 00:22:07.849 but also a reference to 624 00:22:07.850 --> 00:22:09.709 Q Anon in some ways, 625 00:22:09.710 --> 00:22:11.599 or F anon being the only 626 00:22:11.600 --> 00:22:13.519 Anon's that Umar 627 00:22:13.520 --> 00:22:15.229 actually cares about, as he said it 628 00:22:15.230 --> 00:22:16.230 to me. 629 00:22:16.820 --> 00:22:19.099 And I think in looking 630 00:22:19.100 --> 00:22:20.839 at Umar's work, I started to think 631 00:22:20.840 --> 00:22:22.699 about or kind of go back to reading 632 00:22:22.700 --> 00:22:24.529 some of the non whoo hoo 633 00:22:24.530 --> 00:22:26.479 hoo was a kind of 634 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:28.549 who was a philosopher and writer on 635 00:22:28.550 --> 00:22:30.559 colonization, decolonization 636 00:22:30.560 --> 00:22:32.389 and the kind of long violence's and 637 00:22:32.390 --> 00:22:34.309 ghosts of of those of 638 00:22:34.310 --> 00:22:36.169 colonization across the 639 00:22:36.170 --> 00:22:37.339 globe. 640 00:22:37.340 --> 00:22:39.139 And I came across this phrase which 641 00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:40.639 shows up in his book, The Wretched 642 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:42.349 of the Earth, in his section on 643 00:22:42.350 --> 00:22:44.119 concerning violence, in which he 644 00:22:44.120 --> 00:22:45.949 says the colonization, which sets 645 00:22:45.950 --> 00:22:47.479 out to change the order of the 646 00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:49.459 world, is obviously a program 647 00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:51.739 of complete disorder. 648 00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:53.509 And this disorder, which is very 649 00:22:53.510 --> 00:22:55.849 much present within 650 00:22:55.850 --> 00:22:57.889 Umar's work, is also something 651 00:22:57.890 --> 00:22:59.899 that I think is very important 652 00:22:59.900 --> 00:23:01.039 part of the work. 653 00:23:01.040 --> 00:23:02.569 It is a disorder of history. 654 00:23:02.570 --> 00:23:03.949 It is a fragmentation. 655 00:23:03.950 --> 00:23:05.839 It is many stories happening all 656 00:23:05.840 --> 00:23:06.679 at once. 657 00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:08.539 It is a collision of many different 658 00:23:08.540 --> 00:23:10.579 narratives and it is a repetition 659 00:23:10.580 --> 00:23:12.739 of different narratives over time. 660 00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:14.629 And in many ways, by looking at 661 00:23:14.630 --> 00:23:16.459 Umar's work and by studying 662 00:23:16.460 --> 00:23:17.959 these repetitions and reading 663 00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:19.339 between the pieces, we begin to 664 00:23:19.340 --> 00:23:21.169 understand this repetition and we 665 00:23:21.170 --> 00:23:22.729 begin to understand these long 666 00:23:22.730 --> 00:23:24.739 effects, these long violences. 667 00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:26.029 In some ways, it is an attempt to 668 00:23:26.030 --> 00:23:27.889 rewrite, but also as a 669 00:23:27.890 --> 00:23:28.969 way to understand. 670 00:23:30.170 --> 00:23:32.389 So with that will now be getting 671 00:23:32.390 --> 00:23:34.699 to answer some of your questions. 672 00:23:34.700 --> 00:23:36.139 I think we can open up for questions 673 00:23:36.140 --> 00:23:37.099 if anyone has any. 674 00:23:37.100 --> 00:23:38.509 I'm going to check the chat right 675 00:23:38.510 --> 00:23:39.510 now to see 676 00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:43.069 bear with me for a second. 677 00:23:43.070 --> 00:23:45.319 Oh, I have a question really fast 678 00:23:45.320 --> 00:23:47.449 from someone, which is 679 00:23:47.450 --> 00:23:49.039 can you speak about Umar's 680 00:23:49.040 --> 00:23:50.899 alternative name, frohawk two 681 00:23:50.900 --> 00:23:52.189 feathers? You know, where it comes 682 00:23:52.190 --> 00:23:54.289 from and what it means. 683 00:23:54.290 --> 00:23:56.209 Yes. So it comes from 684 00:23:56.210 --> 00:23:58.549 there's a story which is that he 685 00:23:58.550 --> 00:23:59.419 comes from a couple of different 686 00:23:59.420 --> 00:24:00.379 places. 687 00:24:00.380 --> 00:24:01.909 But really, I think the important 688 00:24:01.910 --> 00:24:03.349 thing to remember or to kind of 689 00:24:03.350 --> 00:24:05.119 focus on it, it was it was this idea 690 00:24:05.120 --> 00:24:07.249 of creating an anonymous artist. 691 00:24:07.250 --> 00:24:09.709 So he wanted to create 692 00:24:09.710 --> 00:24:11.419 a moniker that would kind of put 693 00:24:11.420 --> 00:24:14.119 himself back and he would kind of 694 00:24:14.120 --> 00:24:15.859 disconnect from the work and kind of 695 00:24:15.860 --> 00:24:17.689 create this mystery around it. 696 00:24:17.690 --> 00:24:19.429 And as I mentioned, it's really kind 697 00:24:19.430 --> 00:24:20.509 of a continuation. 698 00:24:20.510 --> 00:24:22.189 Even now, though, sometimes present 699 00:24:22.190 --> 00:24:24.289 himself as Umar Rashid parentheses 700 00:24:24.290 --> 00:24:25.729 (Frohawk Two Feathers) to kind of 701 00:24:25.730 --> 00:24:27.979 distance himself or to kind of place 702 00:24:27.980 --> 00:24:29.989 that as to acknowledge 703 00:24:29.990 --> 00:24:32.299 the moniker, but also that he's 704 00:24:32.300 --> 00:24:33.410 kind of moved beyond it. 705 00:24:39.590 --> 00:24:41.359 Do we have any more questions? 706 00:24:41.360 --> 00:24:42.799 Oh, I have a question from Lisa. 707 00:24:42.800 --> 00:24:44.929 Lisa, I'm going on I'm going to ask 708 00:24:44.930 --> 00:24:45.930 you to unmute. 709 00:24:50.990 --> 00:24:52.429 So, Lisa, you should be able to. 710 00:24:52.430 --> 00:24:53.029 There we go. 711 00:24:53.030 --> 00:24:54.019 OK. 712 00:24:54.020 --> 00:24:56.299 Yes, a couple of technical 713 00:24:56.300 --> 00:24:57.799 questions. 714 00:24:57.800 --> 00:24:58.850 It said that 715 00:25:00.260 --> 00:25:01.819 when you were showing the piece, it 716 00:25:01.820 --> 00:25:03.739 said that it was oil and 717 00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:06.079 mixed media on 718 00:25:06.080 --> 00:25:07.999 what is what is the surface 719 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:09.000 that is big enough 720 00:25:10.130 --> 00:25:12.559 for this one, I believe is canvas. 721 00:25:12.560 --> 00:25:14.809 Let me see if I have it written. 722 00:25:14.810 --> 00:25:16.099 It should be canvas. 723 00:25:19.040 --> 00:25:20.419 I believe Acambis, but that does 724 00:25:20.420 --> 00:25:21.409 bring up a good point, which is 725 00:25:21.410 --> 00:25:22.609 those kind of questions, the 726 00:25:22.610 --> 00:25:24.649 materials is really important, 727 00:25:24.650 --> 00:25:26.749 especially to Mark, who's 728 00:25:26.750 --> 00:25:28.729 often kind of also 729 00:25:28.730 --> 00:25:29.730 used to 730 00:25:30.890 --> 00:25:32.809 kind of canvas that he's dipped in 731 00:25:32.810 --> 00:25:34.639 kind of tea and coffee 732 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:36.769 to create this kind of older effect, 733 00:25:36.770 --> 00:25:38.629 but also to reference these kind 734 00:25:38.630 --> 00:25:40.849 of materials 735 00:25:40.850 --> 00:25:42.709 that were kind of used and 736 00:25:42.710 --> 00:25:44.659 distributed and sent 737 00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:46.849 around using exploited, 738 00:25:46.850 --> 00:25:49.069 exploited labor and kind of enslaved 739 00:25:49.070 --> 00:25:49.879 people also. 740 00:25:49.880 --> 00:25:51.139 So there's this kind of idea, this 741 00:25:51.140 --> 00:25:52.549 obsession with the material also 742 00:25:52.550 --> 00:25:53.719 tying into everything else. 743 00:25:58.020 --> 00:25:59.509 Any other questions? 744 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:04.349 Lisa, you have one more question. 745 00:26:04.350 --> 00:26:06.499 Yeah, you mentioned 746 00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:08.659 that the that he 747 00:26:08.660 --> 00:26:10.549 creates kind of a whole 748 00:26:10.550 --> 00:26:12.859 literature around his work. 749 00:26:12.860 --> 00:26:14.719 When you see the exhibit is 750 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:16.909 there is there is 751 00:26:16.910 --> 00:26:19.299 a long description or how 752 00:26:19.300 --> 00:26:20.899 is it incorporated in somewhere? 753 00:26:20.900 --> 00:26:22.819 So so there's a short description 754 00:26:22.820 --> 00:26:23.989 with the exhibition. 755 00:26:23.990 --> 00:26:25.849 But for this part of this this 756 00:26:25.850 --> 00:26:27.499 part of his series, which is still 757 00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:29.689 kind of which is still ongoing, 758 00:26:29.690 --> 00:26:32.029 the kind of California series, 759 00:26:32.030 --> 00:26:34.159 it is still kind of writing out. 760 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:35.779 So there will actually be a kind of 761 00:26:35.780 --> 00:26:37.609 epilog 762 00:26:37.610 --> 00:26:39.529 coming sometime soon that 763 00:26:39.530 --> 00:26:41.059 will have a continuation of this 764 00:26:41.060 --> 00:26:42.949 narrative. And the written 765 00:26:42.950 --> 00:26:44.779 material should may live 766 00:26:44.780 --> 00:26:45.859 with that. But sometimes the 767 00:26:45.860 --> 00:26:47.899 material exists 768 00:26:47.900 --> 00:26:49.459 and is available and sometimes it 769 00:26:49.460 --> 00:26:50.510 just is for for. 770 00:26:52.150 --> 00:26:53.150 To Kim. 771 00:26:56.970 --> 00:26:58.589 OK, well, with that, that's perfect 772 00:26:58.590 --> 00:27:01.229 timing. It's one o'clock. 773 00:27:01.230 --> 00:27:02.669 Thank you so much for taking the 774 00:27:02.670 --> 00:27:04.529 time. And again, I really 775 00:27:04.530 --> 00:27:06.210 would recommend coming by 776 00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:09.419 the Hammer Museum if you can. 777 00:27:09.420 --> 00:27:10.889 I want to say two quick things 778 00:27:10.890 --> 00:27:11.890 before we leave, 779 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:15.609 which I've written down. 780 00:27:15.610 --> 00:27:16.610 Give me a second. 781 00:27:21.550 --> 00:27:22.869 Which is that a. 782 00:27:24.990 --> 00:27:26.699 We have Umar will be leading an 783 00:27:26.700 --> 00:27:28.679 online art making workshop 784 00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:31.589 geared towards university students, 785 00:27:31.590 --> 00:27:33.599 but open to anyone on Monday, 786 00:27:33.600 --> 00:27:35.699 May 17th, at 7:00 p.m. 787 00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:37.679 in the workshop, participants will 788 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:39.839 learn about his work and then create 789 00:27:39.840 --> 00:27:41.729 a drawing or map project 790 00:27:41.730 --> 00:27:43.529 that envisions a utopian outcome of 791 00:27:43.530 --> 00:27:44.609 historic events. 792 00:27:44.610 --> 00:27:46.229 The program is called A Malleable 793 00:27:46.230 --> 00:27:48.449 History and Art Making 794 00:27:48.450 --> 00:27:50.099 Workshop with Umar Rashid. 795 00:27:50.100 --> 00:27:51.479 And it's happening on Monday, May 796 00:27:51.480 --> 00:27:53.319 17th. And I'm going to attach in 797 00:27:53.320 --> 00:27:54.989 the in the chat there's a link to 798 00:27:54.990 --> 00:27:56.129 this program, which I would highly 799 00:27:56.130 --> 00:27:57.089 recommend. 800 00:27:57.090 --> 00:27:59.159 Also, Umar has a an 801 00:27:59.160 --> 00:28:01.169 exhibition aside from the hammer up 802 00:28:01.170 --> 00:28:03.119 at Transformative Arts L.A. 803 00:28:03.120 --> 00:28:04.919 and downtown L.A., which we would 804 00:28:04.920 --> 00:28:06.989 recommend checking out. 805 00:28:06.990 --> 00:28:08.429 Thank you so much for joining this 806 00:28:08.430 --> 00:28:10.439 afternoon's lunchtime art 807 00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:11.399 talk. 808 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:13.049 Special thanks to Bank of America 809 00:28:13.050 --> 00:28:14.099 for presenting Made in L.A. 810 00:28:14.100 --> 00:28:15.959 20 20 aversion to support 811 00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:17.729 programs like this and future 812 00:28:17.730 --> 00:28:19.079 programs. We invite you to become a 813 00:28:19.080 --> 00:28:20.549 hammer member or donate to the 814 00:28:20.550 --> 00:28:22.529 museum by giving to a visiting 815 00:28:22.530 --> 00:28:25.199 us at Hammer Forum UCLA 816 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:26.879 to use the support. 817 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:28.469 Be sure to join us next week for 818 00:28:28.470 --> 00:28:30.029 lunchtime hour talks where Made in 819 00:28:30.030 --> 00:28:32.219 L.A. 20 20 Assistant Curator 820 00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:33.220 of performance 821 00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:36.659 ikechukwu Onyewuenyi 822 00:28:36.660 --> 00:28:38.759 will present on Justin 823 00:28:38.760 --> 00:28:40.589 Lucroy, which will be really great. 824 00:28:40.590 --> 00:28:42.209 So thank you guys all and see you 825 00:28:42.210 --> 00:28:43.210 guys next week.