Reflecting on the inspiration behind an artist creations in Chicago
The entrance of the South Side Community Art Center photo was taken by Sabrina Hart on Dec. 5, 2020.
What may appear to be a lost cause to others is a golden ticket for an artist.
Faheem Majeed is a Chicago-based sculpture artist. He draws inspiration from the history of Chicago and, more specifically, his neighborhood in South Shore. He not only perceives himself as an artist but a community activist.
According to an interview with Majeed conducted by Art Design Chicago in 2018, most of Majeed's artistic growth transpired in Chicago when he was a curator and executive director for South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC).
Before taking on those roles, he was an artist revisiting the past, learning about artists that came before him whose art practices resulted in community growth. Majeed became inspired by artists like Margaret Burrough, Richard Hunt, William Walker and began building art of his own similar to theirs.
He studied what artistic strategies worked well in the past to rediscover how to create art that is impactful and can contribute to communities' growth moving forward. Majeed invites residents of the community to be a part of his creative process as they work together to support each other's endeavors.
His creations are deeply ingrained in Chicago's DIY (Do it yourself) culture and influenced by community involvement, and people see it as a form of community activism.
Majeed transforms materials like recycled wood and steel into sculptures, transmitting messages to the people. I attended Majeed's first solo exhibition at the SSCAC on March 13, 2021 and saw what others see as destruction, he envisions an opportunity for reconstruction.
I first learned about Majeed's work when SSCAC was advertising his art exhibit online on Eventbrite. I was intrigued by the photo of a bright yellow sculpture made up of two boy's heads with similar features side by side, each facing a different direction, and I knew I had to see more.
Especially when I read these lines in the description, "I find that I am drawn to odd or broken things…that translates to both objects and people. I think I'm drawn to these kinds of things because of a bottomless curiosity…not necessarily to tear things apart to see how they work but to understand connections and motivations."
From this explanation, his art began to convert into a form of storytelling in the back of my mind, and that's when I felt a connection to his work.
The exhibit featured 20 years worth of Majeed’s artwork. Accompanying each creation was a white slip of paper the size of a post-it note in which Majeed typed out the motivation behind the work.
As I took glances in between the art and the artist's words printed on the small sheets of paper, something caught my eye in the corner of the room. It was a small wooden board, but it stood tall on a large block of wood. The name of the sculpture was "Kool-Aid Particle Board."
This piece was constructed from recycled lumber, steel, spray paint and stained with the flavors of green apple, grape, and pink lemonade from packages of Kool-Aid.
It reminded me of the boarded-up buildings on the South and West Sides of Chicago.
As I continued to look at the sculpture, absorbing the energy of it's vibrant colors, my perception began to change. I no longer just saw boards found on abandoned buildings but a kind gesture of hope.