Personal Essay by Caleb Hickerson written in the opening week of Brendon's Untitled solo show at Bunker Projects

We Exist!!! The question is how are we existing? As time moves forward, our identity develops. However, science has suggested that we embody multiple identities which develop throughout life. Through his conversation of time, Brendon J Hawkins solo show, “Untitled” attempts to understand how we develop identity: how and why we have reached these categories we identify with and the decision to stay or break away from them.

Some of these categories are built on false principles, such as race and gender. That is not to say that there is no such thing as being black, but I don’t believe you can define that experience as based in color. It just so happens that a mass of people who have been exposed to this experience are of a certain color. But what happens to the young black girl or boy who doesn’t identify with that experience? By understanding how identity develops, we can pick apart what is real and what is not and use our multiple identities as a means of innovating art.

What is real: we live in multiple identities. These Identities differentiate ways of living which allow for an innovation in art and society by seeing a different perspective. And these identities change as time progresses. From the start of birth we are born into a family. I have a mother and father; I am their child. As time goes on we grow into adults, but the kid still exists and presents itself throughout our lives. In Brendon’s piece, “Signs of Streets Approaching”, we can see that the kid is still alive and is using its language to suggest a message about our future.

Our multiple selves are not only an outcome of biology, but also a product of society. Different professions, movies, books, artist, and celebrities give rise to new identities. The concern with these identifiable categories is that, over time, their meaning is constantly being added to or taken away from. If your are not aware of its changes, you could be identifying with a reduced version. Meaning you have a false sense of identity. To say that you are Punk is identifying with something that doesn’t necessarily exist. The experience does exist, as far as the individuality that comes with the punk mindset, but I’m not so sure that the experience can be summed up by rocking safety pins and bashing our heads together. Brendon tackles this idea through his Diptych “Mirrored Characters: Policed in a Mask & Imploding Self”. His use of historical portraiture, masks, cultural languages, and the black body questions: Who has defined this body, how, and why? Without an understanding of how these identities come into existence, people will continue to wear these mask.

So what is the significance of these identities in relation to art? As artists we must innovate. Artistic individuality is the most crucial aspect of defining what art is and how it functions. Art imitates life, life imitates art, and I can see no difference between the painting of a landscape and the landscape itself. The landscape is a work of art in and of itself, however the artist’s individuality, shown through personal language, transports us into their reality. As a result, the painting is the innovation: a change relying heavily on the Identity and technique of the painter. Now that the landscape is communicated through the Identity of the painter and their language, it can be appreciated by those who could not grasp the beauty of the landscape by itself.  However, the painter did not create anything that did not already exist (the painting existed as the inner world of the artist, the landscape existed in the physical world that we all share, the act of painting was an act of communication), so the painter simply showed us the world and how they view it. Too many people are mistaking creation for innovation and have forgotten about trying to say anything at all. So, instead of building off of these so called “art movements”, they practice perfect replication and have turned these innovations into fads.

What happens to fads?

They Die.

In 2018, we are in the digital age concerned heavily with aesthetics. We are also at a time when people are looking to define their identity. One must focus on artistic individuality instead of aesthetics to create work that is uniquely theirs. All Art needs personal expression otherwise it’s just technique.

The “E” inside of Brendon Hawkin’s paintings gets capitalized because it’s rated E for everyone. Brendon Hawkins is channeling his teen identity, the one who used to play the video games with an “E Rated for Everyone” stamped on the cover. Using language in this way allows time to bridge so that the artist’s conversations can transcend time itself.

As artists, we use individuality communicated through our identities, which have different languages, to innovate techniques of the past and connect them with conversations of today. Pablo Picasso did not create cubism, he simply innovated an assortment of techniques (that are simply innovations on top of innovations) to communicate through different identities and the language of those identities. With someone like George Condo, you can see an influence from Picasso's Cubism. However, his individuality communicated through multiple identities have made Picasso's cubism into something else. Brendon seems to use this technique of “sampling” in his “Hanky Code Playing Cards.” Photos that are reminiscent of Warhol’s Polaroids (which are backed by Brendon’s use of Andy’s silver balloons) also speak the language of Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards. Another nod at his youth. Another use of his languages.

I challenge you, as an artist, to recognize that these multiple identities exist and become aware of how they develop. Pick apart what is and isn’t real, to you. Use these multiple identities and their separate languages as an advantage to innovate the state of art and self. Utilize the tools and techniques presented to us all as a means to communicate SELF.


Brendon Hawkins show, “Untitled” is open through January 13th, 2019. Clear your schedule because YOU DO NOT want to miss this. Come to Bunker Projects and allow the Beautiful, Loving, Artistic soul that is Brendon J Hawkins learn you this conversation of time and identity.

"When You Had Hair" - Portrait of Brendon J Hawkins by Caleb Hickerson, 2018

the author himself "Caleb" 2018, Photo by Brendon J Hawkins

​ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

“I’m from Pittsburgh, Pa, it’s an uncanny experience.”
-Caleb Hickerson

Rules are meant to be broken. Caleb Hickerson believes this system was to be constructed,  deconstructed, and then reconstructed; a true effort to define our identity. While defining his own Identity, Caleb art operates through this process with his art as well. As a multidisciplinary artist, he integrates the techniques of past influences and different forms of visual arts to challenge how art functions.

You can find Caleb on Instagram:  @_yung_cee