Rizz Radio - Behind the Hustle: Artist Spotlight - Wann Ibrahim

1. The Journey

For those discovering your work for the first time, who is Wann Ibrahim? Tell us about your background, where you grew up in Africa, and the journey that brought you to where you are today.

 I grew up in Guinea (Conakry), a small West African country.  My dad is also an artist so I was always surrounded by art. He is an avid collector as well, even owns a few of my pieces. Early on he pushed me to take any art classes available. Eventually I moved to New York when I was 12. It was a huge change but I quickly adapted. I started taking advanced art classes in high school and eventually I ended up Getting into SVA (School Of Visual Arts) in Manhattan. Since then I've met amazing people, traveled a bit, got to showcase my work. There's still a long way to go, I'm figuring things out as I navigate through life. Hoping that my experiences in life will not only improve my technique but also the message of my work.

 

2. Artistic Inspiration

Your artwork features expressive characters, bold colors, and imaginative scenes. What inspires your creativity, and how do your life experiences and cultural background influence what you create?

Well I'm very much inspired by a lot of African cultures. I was always fascinated by the use of bright colors and abstract figures. I'm also a huge Basquiat fan who wasn't exactly shy about using bright colors that gets your attention. I like Picasso too, he seems to be having lots of fun with his work. Distorting faces, adding extra limbs... etc...

3. Culture & Identity

How has living in the United States shaped your perspective as an artist? Do you find yourself blending influences from your African roots and American experiences into your work?

I still struggle with this to this day. When I left Guinea, I was kind of young but not so young.  I was old enough to maintain my roots, remember my native language but still young enough to be easily influenced by  my new environment. I'll never truly feel like I belong here because I still keep my roots in my heart and back in the motherland I'm pretty much a stranger now because I've been gone for so long . Every now and then I go back to refresh my memories. I'm trying to create pieces that resonates to both the FBA, Caribbean and African community. I'm tired of the divide. I have a few ideas but that's for another time.

 

4. Teaching & Giving Back

I understand that you may also teach art to students. Tell us about your work as an educator. What inspired you to share your artistic knowledge, and what impact do you hope to have on the next generation of creatives?

My father is very big on education he always made sure that I understood how important teachers are. In Africa, they are like second parents. After all they're teaching things that will come in handy later in life. Some of my teachers went out of their way to make sure that I don't stray away from the path of art. I feel like teaching the next generation is my way of passing the torch.

 

5. The Hustle Behind the Art

People often see the finished artwork but not the hard work behind it. What has been one of your biggest challenges in turning your artistic talent into a career, and what has kept you going through difficult moments?

Honestly the biggest challenge is finding people who value your work. Most want freebies or unrealistic discounts. I've never really had artist block. If I lay down and close my eyes for a couple of minutes something will pop up in my head. Nothing really keeps me going, painting is just something that I do, whether I'm getting paid for it or not. It's just my way of writing down my thoughts. A quote that I live by is "Don't make art to live, live to make art"

6. The Meaning Behind the Work

Is there a particular piece of artwork you've created that holds a deeper personal meaning for you? Tell us the story behind it and what you hope people feel or understand when they see your work.

Probably my comic book, I keep rewriting it and it's been almost 20 years. It'll come out eventually. It started out as me creating cartoon characters for my college roommates then I added a setting, a plot and just kept rewriting it ever since.

 

7. The Future & The Legacy

What are you currently working on, and what are your biggest goals for the future? When people look back on your artistic journey, what kind of impact or legacy do you hope to leave behind?

 I'm currently doing studies  women's faces I'm just having fun, experimenting with colors, facial expressions, patterns etc... I'm studying Picasso, the way he depicted women. I'll  probably do an exhibition if I feel strongly about the series. I just want people to keep on creating. Don't do it for glory because you probably won't get any. Don't do it for money because you probably won't get any. Do it because you just love to. Do it because you want to say something.