Code B Magazine with Rahmaan Statik Chicago's very own Muralist
By Madison Wade
Earlier, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Rahmaan Statik, of Chicago's most dynamic muralists and a dynamic minds, to glean some great artistic and philosophical gems. A true creative, Statik’s work can be seen
not only all over The Windy City, but all
over the world.
Listen to our podcast to hear the ex-tensive list of countries Statik’s art has breached. Think of iPhones, Jordans, and block-buster movies. When you take a look around, art is everywhere. From street signs, ft. deconstructivist symbols meant to rapidly transmit safety and navigation information about our rapid transit systems, to billboard advertisements preying on your attention and, perhaps, propensity for misdirection of financial energy.
Far and few between is art for art’s sake, that is, art without intent for profit or influence. Maybe Statik’s work is no exception to this rule, but the fundamental message behind it all is a positive one, one that can be felt, and that is intimately connected to the noble endeavor of providing tools for self-betterment and actualization.
This, Statik does, by creating art that spreads beauty, a sense of. community, and divine clarity. Larger than life, though humble, Statik walked us through his come up: finding art at a young age, entering the airbrush/graffiti
world in middle school, learning by doing, and being a practiced street artist before even graduating high school.
He took us through his senior year, where he ended up walking out of an art class, when they tried to place him in the beginner’s course which he found allowed for little creativity or artistic freedom (he took choir instead). And he took us through his college experience, namely the wise decision to major not art, but web design – as he recognized the power of the internet, and knew that talent alone may not be enough to get him by, but that he needed the know- -how to get his name out there in the globosphere.
Part of Statik’s reason for making public art is to be a sort of missionary for personal liberation. His goal is less lost souls, and his artwork is meant to serve as a catalyst for internal peace (even just a moment, garnered from slowing down long enough to take in or contemplate the piece) and, from there, hopefully, a spark of wonder, purpose, or direction.
Engrossed in what was scheduled to be a 30 minute conversation, but which turned into something more like 2 or 3 hours discussion on everything from NFTs, art history, choosing a medium, and what it means to tailor your worldly experience and craft your legacy.
Over facetime, the words “Be Your Higher Self” was scrawled boldly in paint on a mural framing his head, a big indicator of his most potent message and something I utilized as a gentle note-to-self many times during and since our conversation.
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