A Felon In Public Art:
Reflecting on the risk of guerilla art with a criminal history.June 2021
I am producing three new large public sculptures this summer. I am super excited to share these works with you all. However, whenever I take up these guerilla works it is extremely taxing.
I fear any engagement with law enforcement while I'm installing. When I arrive, I work as quickly as possible. I attempt to make what I envisioned visible to lower the likelihood that anyone would question my presence.
I am a Black man with a criminal history. It is reasonable to say, that by not going the traditional bureaucratic route that I'm playing with fire. If of course, avoiding any engagement with law enforcement is my goal. But, I'm not willing to wait four weeks to six months for an organization, a panel, jury, juror, curator, director, gallerist or whomever to validate an idea that does not even require their validation.
So I'm like....
"Either let me fly, or give me death
Let my soul rest, take my breath
If I don't fly, I'm die anyway
I'ma live on, but I'll be gone any day"
-DMX