Yes, these flamboyant wingmen have been divided into two groups. Down low, thug, H.I.V. positive infidels or flamboyant, weave-wearing ken dolls equipped with an over-sized bag and heels. How the media took the covers off of their bodies and exposed us for what they really are? That will never be known, but the evidence is found in countless Oprah episodes, Terry McMillan tirades, Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta , and countless other places in the media where we are able to discover the real black gay community and what it has to offer.

Needless to say (or maybe it is needed) those stereotypes and glaring lights never sat well with me. See, the only thing that’s worse and more uncomfortable than an untrue stereo-type is a stereotype that is true. Stereotypes that are proven to be true give the perpetrators permission to hold everyone in the community to those standards and accusations. The harm is mostly in the stifling growth of an already slowed and disenfranchised community that can spawn all types of fun little shadows like ignorance and hatred. Simply put, I don’t entertain stereotypes in any shape or form because I know what kind of cultural monsters they can perform. One little misunderstanding and we have Godzilla’s and King Kong’s stomping all over our society like a Japanese city.

Kehinde Wiley, a gay black man, under my first inspection, was an evil genius of the very community I guard so dearly, a trader working on the inside. Kehinde Wiley is an artist best known for his large, immaculate portraits of black, ‘urban’ men in traditionally Renaissance (and I ain’t talking Harlem) poses equipped with obnoxious backgrounds that results in a realistic look at the human and satirical, and almost bombastic look at the state of the black man and who we were and can be. I hated it. The saggy pants, the mean faces, and the obnoxious play on colors worked against all my sensibilities about art and aesthetics. More than visually, I hated what it represented. I despised the thought of a gay, black uplifting the image of the very genre of black men that usually find comfort in being homophobic. That is, until a friend of mine with superior gaydar (even with art) gave my gaydar some new batteries.

The subjects in these very paintings are gay. They’re the homo-thugs that Terry McMilan warns us about, they’re the trade pieces (n. visually heterosexual appearing men who are homosexual or bisexual) that my friends fiend over. These aren’t just black men of today posing as kings; these are queens of today posing as kings of yesterday. Brilliant. Instantly, the decidedly tacky nature of the work transformed into the flamboyance of our culture. The ‘royal’ gestures and poses of the subjects became overtly more effeminate. In that second Kehinde Wiley became less a trader working on the inside, but a mastermind of uplifting and broadening the connotation of the black gay man, while the media is too busy being enamored with the thought of a black man being able to stand on two feet, paint realism, and drink kool-aid at the same time. Touché, Wiley, touché.

Scott G Brooks lives and works in Washington, DC. His subject matter ranges from simple portraiture to intricate narratives. In his paintings, he takes social, psychological, and political issues and injects them with a dark sense of humor. Anatomical distortions separate the figures from the photographic ideal, which gives him the freedom to create his own distorted reality. His work is described as twisted and offbeat, sentimental, and disturbing.

Sex, nudity, incest, bestiality, social, political and psychological dramas play out on canvas or paper. It’s these raw, and often uncomfortable narratives our society shies away from that Scott gravitates to like the car crash you can’t look away from. According to Scott, his work is “multifaceted.”

“I peek behind closed doors, into the hidden lives, and private moments of my subjects,” he says. “Delving into the psyche and physical appearance of the subject being represented, I examine them up close, and then expose them for everyone to examine for themselves.”

Back in January we posted about Tayana Fazlalizadeh’s “Victim of American Fear” piece, inspired by the tragic story of Sean Bell here. As promised, the Philadelphia based artist is expanding on the series and recently sent me this image of a new painting. Like the previous piece, this one depicts a young black male subject with targets cast across his body. Powerful stuff. I’m looking forward to see where this is going.

Alabama born and Los Angeles based artist, Michael Pukac has quickly established himself as one of the more prolific live painters as well as made a name for himself by exhibiting constantly and relentlessly throughout the LA art community. I became familar with Michael’s work when he recently emailed me a few of his mindblowing images. Michael blends seductive and classical imagery of goddesses with his contemprary yet subtle satire.

According to Michael’s Artist Statement he believes, “a painter should try to paint as nature creates. So much so, that I’ve divided my work into the four elements, earth, air, fire, and water. These categories are not established on subject but, on the over all feel of the painting.”

Check out Michael’s work below.

[View with PicLens]

Atlanta based painter Bethany Marchman uses traditional oils to create parallels between innocence and influence/ history and popular culture. These paintings are sometimes funny and sometimes sad. They are reflections of the awkward changes we experience as individuals and as a society, while questioning whether or not growth is synonymous with improvement. Here’s an interview with Bethany below.

An-Mag.com: How are you?

Bethany Marchman: Great, Kendrick, thanks! How are you?

An-Mag.com: Amazing! A lot of your subjects are women. Why is that?

BM: I think I gravitate toward subject matter that I can sympathize with. When I was first trying the find my personal style as a painter, I was going all sorts of directions. I found that the subject matter that really held my interest and felt the most authentic to me focused on women and children. Even animals I feel an association with. All my paintings are like little expressions of my feelings. They aren’t so much my opinions as my observations of experiences. I experience life as a woman and express it often through the feminine perspective. I hope that by being as honest as possible in my delivery I can create something genuinely relatable to others regardless of age or gender.

An-Mag.com: Did you attend school for art? If so where?

BM: I attended Columbus College of Art and Design and completed my degree after transferring the University of Georgia . I feel like my greatest learning experience came earlier in private lessons back home in Florida from my teacher, Barbara Bassett. She pushed her students harder and more effectively than I’ve ever seen since.

An-Mag.com: You use oil paint. What about this medium attracts you?

BM: I’m madly in love with oil paints! I got to make my first oil painting at sixteen and I was chomping at the bits. It’s been my medium ever since. I guess what I’ve always loved most about it is the potential it possesses. To look at the works of masters and to know all of the visual possibilities are achievable through oils is so exciting. Aside from that, the process of painting with oils is unique and appealing. It’s almost like sculpting with clay in that it is an additive and subtractive process that can be very forgiving. Your colors stay true. They don’t become some different color when they dry as with other paints. They blend like no other paint. Oh, and you can leave your pallet out without them drying up on you. Love them.

An-Mag.com: I also notice the references to history. What is it about history that interests you?

BM: Looking to the past is such an amazing way to assess and digest the present. I’m fascinated by what changes and what remains the same in our human history. I tend to romanticize certain aspects of the past a bit too. Today so many things are built to be disposable. I’m sure it’s because our technology is moving so rapidly, but I feel like we lose something beautiful and valuable along the way.

An-Mag.com: Where do you see the Atlanta art scene going?

BM: I really hope for the best. I know there are a lot of creatives trying very hard to reach out to one another and to contribute to the city. Many still have to look outside of Atlanta to find success. I think enough people do care about art here to make a real difference and I feel optimistic that the art community will continue to grow and find support.

An-Mag.com: Your newer work includes female subjects with animal body parts. Tell me about that.

BM: love using animals in my paintings because they have so much symbolism associated with them. To paint a portrait of an imaginary person with animal aspects lets me express their personalities in a deeper way. We are animals ourselves and interconnected by nature.

An-Mag.com: What is art to you?

BM: That is a very challenging question for me. It’s hard to put a logical purpose to art when you think about it. It can almost seem frivolous when you look at the more obvious needs of people in the world. I feel like the existence of art in society is almost a proof of the spiritual aspect of lives. It’s kind of like love. You could technically survive without it, but who would want too?

An-Mag.com: Who are some artists you look up to?

BM: A few names of a ton I admire: Norman  Rockwell, Diane Arbus, Michael Hussar, Mark Ryden, Julie Taymor, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Francisco Goya…

An-Mag.com: What’s next for you?

BM: 2010 is looking very exciting for me. I’ve got group shows in Berlin , Denmark and Atlanta the first half of the year. In September I’m showing solo at Bold Hype Gallery in Orlando . I’m also thrilled to be working on a collaborative show with photographer, Neda Abghari, and artist, Fahamu Pecou, this year that I feel is going to be an amazing experience for me to grow in my art with the aid of their inspiration.

An-Mag.com: Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

BM: Just thanks, and I appreciate what your magazine is putting out into the world.

For everything Bethany Marchman click here.

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