ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Poet7
CREATRIX Magazine: What made you become a performance artist?
Poet7: I became a performance artist when I started playing the alto saxophone in elementary school. My dad pushed me to fall in love with music and performing at a young age, then naturally the stage slowly started to become my home. I decided as a kid that this was my calling, and I realized nothing satisfies my soul like sharing art and love. My art is inspired by my inner and outer world, and all those that came before me. I only wish to touch the heart of all I connect with, this is why I became a performance artist.
CXM: How do you perceive the role of the artist in defining the society’s frameworks?
Poet7: Truly, I believe that artists have the responsibility to hold a mirror up to the face of society. There are certain messages that can only be conveyed through mediums of art or are able to penetrate the consciousness that human nature possesses. To me, it is the artist’s job to draw outside the line, to push boundaries, and to share the truth of what their experience on earth has taught them. In doing that, right and wrong do not exist, good and bad are illusionary, all that matters is what you see, and how you express that.
CXM: What are you going to present on August 22nd during LIC LIVE ART?
Poet7: I will be performing three poems from a poetry book I am in the middle of putting together. The topics of these poems are love, loneliness, and the pain I know we all have faced one way or another.
CXM: Martha Wilson once said: “All perfomance art is dealing with trauma”? what’s your take on it?
Poet7: I’ve ran into this question many times and I came to the conclusion that she is correct. Along my journey in life I’ve learned that we make light out of the dark. By that I mean, it is the hardships and trauma of life that either break or make us. It is the unbearable pain we carry everyday that fuels us to hope for better and work towards better. Whenever I am working on any art, it is the darkness or trauma that I am pulling from to find the truth in my being. I believe we are connected through our suffering, and performance art is the perfect place to show that connection.
CXM: Thank you, Poet7! We are looking forward to seeing your work on August 22nd at LIC LIVE ART!
As a media sponsor of LIC LIVE ART festival CREATRIX Magazine interviews all participating artists in anticipation of the upcoming event, taking place on August 22nd at Culture Lab LIC at The Plaxall Gallery, and organized by Local Project Art Space.
Poet7 was born January 30th, 1992 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Since his parents were active in the military they moved around very frequently. Poet7 lived in Washington, Japan, Maryland and Dc all before settling in Virginia at the age of 6. It wasn’t until 26 that Poet7 quit his job of 7 years and moved to New York City to pursue his creativity. Over the years Poet7 has performed at the Richmond Jazz festival in 2015 opening up for Smashmouth, a Def Jam showcase, and countless open mics in Virginia and New York. His work now includes spiritual poetry, producing, and engineering a hip-hop conscious sound in his home studio. Poet7 hopes to reveal the oneness of all in his work, and spread love through all he comes in contact with.
