How do people perceive you? How does your boss perceive you? How do your colleagues perceive you? How do your friends perceive you? How do you perceive yourself? I bet that those are questions that you do not spend a lot of time pondering. I raise these questions because I went with a friend to see her son’s art exhibition, “Starships & Angels,” showing March 20 – April 7, 2013 at 185 Augusta Avenue, Kensington Market, Toronto. One of the benefits of attending the art show is that while standing beside artist Danilo McCallum, he draws a representation of you in the form of a starship, based on what he is picking up from you. Some of the starships are large while others are small, some are drawn in colour while others in black.
When I saw the starship that represented me, my first comment was about how small it was. I was also thinking, is this how Danilo perceives me, how people perceive me? But does it really matter how other people perceive you? It shouldn’t matter because it isn’t about you, it’s about the other person. While I was at the show, I decided to do a short impromptu interview with Danilo. I NEVER do impromptu interviews. I always take the time to prepare.
The Invisible Mentor Interviews Danilo McCallum
Avil Beckford: Who influences your artwork and your creativity?
Danilo McCallum:
- Octavia Butler: Black science fiction writer.
- Caravaggio: Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian 16th century painter.
- Takashi Murakami: Internationally renowned Japanese contemporary artist.
Danilo added that the people who he interacts with at 185 Augusta influence his work because the space is filled with people from various disciplines – architecture, photography, animation – and they inspire him because he doesn’t use those mediums.
Avil Beckford: Which one book profoundly impacted your life?
Danilo McCallum: Patternmaster by Octavia Butler profoundly impacted my life. It’s a science fiction social narrative about Blacks in the future.
Avil Beckford: If you could meet any five people, living or dead, who you have always wanted to meet, who would you choose, and what is one question that you’d like to ask them?
Danilo McCallum: The five people that I’d like to meet are:
- André 3000 (Rapper)
- Rod Serling (Produced The Twilight Zone)
- Melvin Van Peebles (Actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, novelist and composer)
- Erykah Badu (Singer and songwriter)
- Janelle Monae (R & B musician)
The one question I’d like to ask is “what is their manifesto?”
Avil Beckford: What is one message that you’d like to give to my readers?
Danilo McCallum: Follow your dreams.
Avil Beckford: Complete the following, I’m happy when….
Danilo McCallum: I’m happy when I’m painting.
I have been blogging for four years. A few of you have met me, some of you have emailed me. Based on what I write, how do you perceive me? If I were a starship, would I be like the one Danilo McCallum drew? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. If you enjoyed this post, please share it.
Book links are affiliate links.
