THIS SHIT HAS STYLE
Writer Saer Ze Interviews Fahamu Pecou
By Saer Ze

 

You know the work of an extraordinary artiste that stands out when you see one. Despite claiming to be ‘the shit’, Fahamu Pecou has style and is aware of his grounds. Like it or not, he demands your attention with his paintings–which tend to be a fusion of traditional and contemporary artistic expressions. After only four years at it, he shows us who is king. He certainly is full of surprises, right down to the eclectic choice of music he listens to–as Saer Ze speaks to the next ‘FAHAMENON’, Fahamu Pecou.

"I’ve been a creative person all my life. It has manifested in many ways: Creative writing, rapping, singing, trombone, drawing, painting."

Art Nouveau Magazine: How would you describe yourself to a complete stranger in 5 seconds?
Fahamu Pecou: Pecou.  Fahamu Pecou.  Artist-extraordinaire… kind of a big deal.

ANM: What or who inspires you?
FP: I’m inspired by unlikely heroism, insurmountable odds, turbulent belongings and reality T.V.

ANM: How long have you been doing what you do?
FP: I’ve been a creative person all my life. It has manifested in many ways: Creative writing, rapping, singing, trombone, drawing, painting. The list goes on really. I love making something out of nothing. My current body of work began in 2004.

ANM: How did you get started?
FP: The series evolved out of a marketing campaign I created to promote my work. A good friend of mine and gallerist by the name of Bill Bounds, saw the first magazine paintings and offered to show them in his gallery. They were a huge hit. Soon after he offered me my first solo and presented my work to friends of his in Dallas. I did a solo in Dallas while showing in Atlanta with Bill. Another gallerist from San Francisco saw the work in Dallas and offered me a show as well. From there things have continued to snowball.

ANM: Is that mostly yourself in your drawings?           
FP: A version of me, yes. “Fahamu Pecou is the Shit” is somewhat of an alter-ego, an embodiment of the ‘commodification’ of the black male body in popular culture. He symbolizes in many ways, the stereotypes and misconceptions of black masculinity and how it plays out in public space.

ANM: How long do you normally take to finish a piece?
FP: The process involves more than painting. I begin with professional photo shoots. From there I select my favorite images and mock up magazine covers on the computer. I then use those mock ups to create the paintings. A single work can take upwards of 2 weeks to a month from photo shoot to finished work.

ANM: What materials do you use to you draw with and draw on?
FP: Primarily I use acrylic paint on canvas. I work text into the paintings using oil sticks, crayons, sharpies etc.

ANM: Where are you most comfortable to work on your drawings?
FP: My painting studio is in my office (I also am a partner in a creative agency. We do graphic design and web design for a variety of clients). I literally turn around from my desk and paint.

ANM: What is the message you try to convey through your images?
FP: I seek to encourage open and honest dialogues about representation of black masculinity in popular culture at large. I also address the struggles of black presence in the world of fine art. My character represents a perspective and existence not typically found in fine art. So it’s interesting to see him get over and in places not traditionally made available to him.

ANM: To whom would you say your style is most similar?
FP: My style is a blend of a lot of traditional and contemporary art expressions. I really love painting and I like the work of artists like Picasso, Van Gogh, Diego Rivera, Chuck Close and many others… But I am also drawn to pop artists of the 60’s and 70’s like Andy Warhol and Rauschemberg… I sprinkle that with the new wave of graffiti inspired work by artists like Basquiat, Keith Herring, SWOON, Anthony Lister and more. As you can see there is no one particular artist I think I most relate to. I am truly a child of a lot of schools of thought and I try to express that in my work.

ANM: Have you gotten more girls at your feet by claiming to be Mr Pecou?
FP: I Am Mr. Pecou J.

 

ANM: What would you have to say for those who think Fahamu Pecou is NOT the shit?
FP: They don’t have to think it. I do. But if they are thinking about it at all, I’ve done my part.

ANM: Have you faced obstacles, which in the end, turned out to be a blessing?
FP: My entire struggle to get to this point, being interviewed by you. It has had many obstacles. No one wins them all, but as they say, it’s ok to lose, as long as you don’t lose the lesson.

ANM: What has been your proudest achievement?
FP: I experience my proudest achievement with each painting I finish. I try to outdo myself every time. When I step back, if I don’t feel shocked like ‘Wow I did that’, then I won’t be satisfied.

ANM: What is your favorite film?
FP: I have a couple; a film by Haile Gerima called Sankofa and Eddie Murphy’s Coming to America.

ANM: Which is your favorite record?
FP: My favorite record… Now you wanna get tough with the questions I see. Kanye West’s Late Registration comes to mind first, Common’s Electric Circus, De La Soul’s De la Soul is Dead, Radiohead’s Kid A, Outkast-Anything!, Gregory Isaacs’ Night Nurse, Stevie Wonder’s Hotter Than July, Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall, Portishead’s Dummy… I can go on and on.

ANM: What is your favourite quote?
FP: “Create like a god. Command like a king. Work like a slave.” Constantin Brancusi

ANM: Who do you find to be the sexiest female celebrity? Why?
FP: Kerry Washington. Besides being beautiful she is extremely talented! The real reason why is, I think we would look good in matching outfits walking through the mall. Can’t you just see it?!

ANM: What is your latest project?
FP: A limited edition artist book/magazine called FAHAMENON. It comes out in the spring. FAHAMENON is a catalogue of my work complete with new original work, articles and essays from great writers and a limited number will come with a free copy of my film Instant Celebrity.

ANM: What are your hopes for 2008?
FP: In 2008 I hope to gain a more international presence and really solidify my career as an artist.