We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Connor Rice a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Connor thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I’ve always been a creative person ever since I was a kid. From an early age my parents invested in putting me into art and music programs from lessons to camps. I was very fortunate to grow up in a household where my parent was also an artist and that gave me great insight into the creative process and the life of a working artist. I also was exposed to lots of art and other artists through my family. My uncle was my first formal drawing teacher and he taught me a lot of fundamentals on how to view the world with an artistic eye. As I got older I would love to take youth classes at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. After I graduated highschool I attended MCAD and took a wide array of classes outside of just my major. I believe this helped me to get a more holistic view of art making in general. I think that the career of a creative can’t be sped up but instead I think it is very important to follow your own path and follow the opportunities that inspire the most inner joy. I believe it is important for artists to go through some adversity and struggle to form their creative voice and establish discipline within their chose medium. The most essential skill I have relied on as an artist and person is tenacity. Nothing is given cheaply in this world and especially as an artist there will be many obstacles because so much of what creatives must do and think is in direct contradiction to the tenants of this capitalistic society.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a multi-media artist from SouthSide Minneapolis. I gain my inspiration from Hip-Hop as well as history and nature. My practice uses art to document the issues and motifs of pan-Africanist realities across space and time. My work seeks to transport the viewer in order to comment on the exploitation of the Black identity and to reflect on personal experiences within a euro-centric society. One of my main goals within art is to bridge the gap between the more established art scene and under represented communities of color. Currently my practice focuses on creating installations through the implementation of large format screen printing and projection mapping. As a public focused artist I place value on the experiences created rather than the object itself.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to affect my environment directly. By having the privilege to process the events surrounding my life I feel as though I have a greater say on the conditions of the world. Additionally having something that I created be out in the world and have an impact on someone else is extremely gratifying. Often times the life of an artist is difficult and full of tribulations. However, when a piece of art is birthed into the world despite the challenges and it resonates with somebody i believe that reward is felt beyond just the individual creator but on a more universal level.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
I believe there are several systematic factors that make it difficult to be a creative. The craven need for greater profits that capitalism instills in all things even the most basic need makes the prospect of surviving off of art extremely daunting. If people were better equipped with a standard base level of income the world would be more free to pursue their creative ambitions. Additionally due to an art market that is rife with market speculation and serves as a money laundering scheme for the wealthy, many artists who have a distaste for such a climate turn away from the continued creation of work which leads to a culture of uninspired and mediocre art. A more fair and balanced creative community globally would lead to an explosion of diverse, interesting art.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://criceinternational.com
- Instagram: @cricekahlil
- Youtube: @cricekahlil
