We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kristian Blackmon . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kristian below.

Kristian , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

As an art & event curator my intention from the start was to always produce something meaningful. The first project I did in 2012 was entitled,’Invisible No More’ that spoke to the plight of Black women & girls specifically around them going missing & communal & state sanctioned violence.
Since then I have done/do exhibitions celebrating women’s contributions to Hip-Hop,’I Still Love Her’,celebrating our Black Freedom Fighters,’I Am A Revolutionary’& ‘Black Joy is Resistance’to name some.

I pride on speaking to social issues, celebrating and highlighting Black culture & the Black experience.

Kristian , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My brand is simple,it’s me,Kris Blackmon & it embodies my personality,values,ideas,authenticity and my love for art, culture, & life

Outside of me being a creative I also do organizing & activism work within my community & region.
In fact, I starting do that work before the creative, art based work.

There are a lot of issues plaguing our communities that bother me & I wanted to find a creative way to address them.
That’s how my first project,Invisible No More’which I spoke to briefly came to be.

When I started that project I didn’t call myself a curator,in fact I didn’t really know what that was.
Over time & through the support & encouragement of loved ones & artist friends I kept creating and producing my show concepts/themes.

2024 marks year 12 of art and event curation and event production.

Over these 12 years not only have I been able to speak to social issues, highlight and celebrate culture & bring my ideas to life but I have also been able to create a platform for artists,in particularly Black artists to show their work.

I’ve had a diverse group of artists bless my shows from seasoned career artists,to emerging artists to artists who have never shown their work publicly.

Many Black artists often don’t get the opportunities or access to be in a gallery space or in an exhibit.
They don’t get to showcase their work without restrictions or censoring & most importantly be able to sell their work if they so choose.
I pride myself on being able to be a support to artists in this way.
Another important piece is I enjoy that community – my supporters and attendees are able to come and see artists that look like them, that are in the same cities as them.
Instead of buying some random art from a department store they can get an original piece or print from an artist at one of my shows.

Lastly,
I’m currently in a space where I’m ready to expand & elevate my curating career.
I’m ready to curate & produce shows for other artists and creatives outside of my own.
I’m ready to buy art & curate spaces in homes and businesses.
I’m ready to manifest & bring into fruition the ideas & concepts for shows that have been in my head & spirit for YEARS.

I’m excited & grateful for what’s in store & up for the challenge.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding thing about being a creative is that I have the ultimate control & dominance over what I create. What I want to create, I can & I will.

Also, the joy & peace it brings while also challenging me.
Lastly,it has literally saved my life on more than one occasion.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

The fact that I am still here is the resilience.

In 2019 I was extremely depressed & attempted suicide, clearly I failed because you are reading this.

I looked at is as truly a blessing that God kept me & that my calling & my work here on this planet isn’t finished yet.
So, here I am still doing ALL the things while also honoring myself in ways I hadn’t prior to along the way.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @iamkrisblackmon | @krisisblackstar
• Twitter: @krisisblackstar