Painter Taurean Washington has such a strong affinity for the spoken word, that he oft-considers himself a "hip-hop artist." After successfully moonlighting for years under this umbrage, Taurean is ready to show the World his latest body of work based on Kanye West's lasting reputation as a producer/rapper.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqiWoxvnLcX
The exhibit, entitled "Yeezus Taught Me" will be shown in Columbia, Maryland on February 2nd from 1 pm to 3:30 pm. The one-of-a-kind vernissage will likely only be accessible to Kanye West fans in the DMV-area. Washington's homage to Yeezy is nevertheless, a fitting tribute to a rapper-cum-label-head in dire need of a moral WIN.
Washington describes his artistic practice in an easy-to-grasp portmanteau: Art-Hop. "I see myself as a visual lyricist. My paintbrush is the microphone, my lyrics are the image. Composition and the beat is the color," he told HipHopDX in conversation.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqx90j_HLRQ
As for his inspiration to embark on the project, on the whole, Taurean Washington borrows from the same complexities as the rest of us. "To me, Kanye West is prolific and controversial at the same time," he says. "Kanye’s Yeezus album epitomizes that idea. It’s very raw and brash. This was the album that was interesting to interpret and give a 'visual rap' to. I created 10 paintings, each an interpretation of a song off the album."
Washington's other project to receive a fair bit of critical attention was the exhibition he based around Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly. Although he debuted the project on his own terms, Washington would later receive a veritable co-sign from K. Dot's reps, as they felt indebted to his very-public adulation. Be sure to check out Washington's Instagram showcase, and support your local art scene, while we're on the subject.
