2020 feelings expressed in art
In these strange and stressful times, Chris Tucker welcomed the opportunity to use his creativity to not only comment on what’s going on in the world, but to reconnect with others through art. That’s where the “Mesa College Drive-In: An Outdoor Exhibition” came in, featuring the work of California artists in an outdoor space that people can drive by to view.
“Like most people I know, I’ve been really missing seeing art in person during this pandemic, and the drive-in exhibition was a wonderful chance to participate in something that we’d all been missing. In some ways, I even liked it a little better than traditional exhibits, since the audio tour set a pace for how to move through it, unlike in a gallery opening where I’ve often felt a little rushed and social interactions can be awkward,” he says. “One of my big 2020 goals was to get involved in showing work at galleries, but with COVID, that’s been kind of at a standstill. This ‘Drive-In’ show seemed like a brilliant way to get some artwork out into the world, without demanding that people crowd into a gallery space.”
About three dozen artists have work on display through Wednesday, with those works being painted or printed onto 3-by-5-foot banners attached to the fence around the perimeter of Parking Lot 1 at the college. Students from the gallery exhibitions course in the college’s museum studies program curated the exhibition, selecting from more than 45 submissions. The exhibit is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, with the show closing Wednesday.
Tucker (@_christoon_ on Instagram), 45, is a multimedia digital artist who lives in North Park with his wife, Cara, and their dog, Isis (named after the Egyptian goddess, not the terrorist organization). He took some time to talk about his piece in the “Drive-In” exhibit, titled “Smoking City,” how 2020 has inf luenced his work as an artist, and sharing a name with a famous and funny actor.
Q:
Tell us about the “Mesa College Drive-In: An Outdoor Exhibition.”
A:
Every year, the museum studies program at Mesa curates a juried exhibition, usually of local artists who apply to participate. It is an opportunity for students to have hands-on experience with every step of putting on an exhibition. Of course, this year it had to be a lot different. The gallery directors are two really creative, innovative women who figured out a way to make it work, and the students did a wonderful job. Besides being a way to work around pandemic restrictions, I also think it ended up being a way to comment on this particular historical moment — the way we are all trying to engage with one another and with pressing social issues, but doing it in a way that is isolated. To me, that matches the feeling of driving by in a car and engaging with artworks, many of which had social and political relevance.
Q:
Can you talk a bit about your digital drawing, “Smoking City”? What was the inspiration for this particular piece? And what did you want to say through this piece?
A:
I am a city person. I grew up in a dense, Chicago neighborhood, and I’ve always felt safe and at home in a crowd. This past year, I started thinking about how that is not as true as it used to be — the experience of being in a crowd seems more fraught because of the pandemic, but also I’ve moved to a city that is periodically surrounded by fires (which is new and scary for me, as a Midwesterner). I am also often the only Black person I’ll see in a day in San Diego, which is also new for me, compared to where I am from. So, all of those things probably play into this image a little bit. But it is also about the feeling of watching the world burn, that so many of us have been experiencing. It’s actually burning in wildfires, but also in a more positive and metaphorical way: in the sense of people being willing to put themselves out there and protest and take risks, in order to make it clear that our country’s long history of racist violence is no longer acceptable.
My piece in the exhibit was sort of like a billboard you drive by, but the woman in the image is also at a certain distance from what is happening. I’ve felt over the past few years that I’m watching truly shocking, and often horrifying, things happen in my world, but from this strange kind of distance. It’s a distance I’m grateful and lucky to be able to have, but it is still bizarre. With the title of the piece “Smoking City,” I also meant to specifically reference the conf luence of wildfires and protests, and the feeling of watching it all, and being astonished and shocked.
Q:
In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen and experienced a lot of civil unrest, protests to address systemic racism and inequality, and a contentious general election. How have these events inf luenced you as an artist, and what you want to say through your art?
A:
One thing that has changed in my art practice in response to this historical moment and everything that is happening, is that I’ve come back to realism after a long time with abstraction. I’ve always gravitated to abstract
art, but lately it has felt like communicating with more illustrative and naturalistic imagery makes more sense. I guess I used to really be more inward-looking with my art, and though I still am in some ways, now feels like a time where we all need to look outward more.
I also noticed that, without meaning to, my regular portraitdrawing practice started being more focused on Black faces. I’ve always drawn a broad mix of people, but when I look at my set of more recent portraits, on the balance there have been more images of Black people. Some of this might be about my moving to San Diego from a Blacker city and context, but I also think it is about me feeling like there is more room for, and interest in, images of Blackness. In part because of much of the country’s recent reckoning with systemic racism.
Q:
You probably saw this coming, but I have to ask: Chris Tucker. What are you most tired of hearing when people learn your name? Have you sworn off all of the “Friday” and “Rush Hour” movies?
A:
I do think people expect me to be funnier! I do my best, but it is a hard name to live up to in that way. Also this is why I include my middle name “Lloyd” a lot! I even named my business LloydWoodcraft since Googling “Chris Tucker” is pretty much only going to lead to you-know-who. But I do love the “Friday” movies.
Q:
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? A:
The best advice I have ever received was from my dad, and I got it while I was pretty young. My brother and I were always fighting as kids. We would get into trouble, and it really seemed to break my mom’s heart a little, but my dad always seemed to think it was pretty natural. One day, he told us that little fights like this don’t really matter, you can forget about them as soon as you’re done. Don’t get hooked on narcotics, don’t commit a felony, and wear a condom — those are the things you can’t take back afterward. Again, we were pretty young for that kind of advice, but I have to say, he was right.
Q:
What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?
A:
I think the thing people would be most surprised about is how much I used to fight with my brother when we were young. Physical fights. We were really mean to each other, and I have to say, it was mostly my fault. Anyone who knows me would be surprised about that because I’m a super gentle person now. (Also, my brother and I are great friends now. He forgave me.)
Q:
Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend.
A:
Well, you have to start with the beach. Probably end with the beach, too, but in between there would be a few cocktails on some restaurant patios, and maybe even a trip to the zoo. Also, a burrito.