Khari Turner
"Gracing My Style", 2021
New York gallerist & Art Curator Destinee Ross-sutton in conversation with rising art star Khari Turner on the topic of what “RENAISSANCE” means to them.
DRS: Yeah. I mean, I've always kind of had that definition of Renaissance, I always think of Europe and European artists, but now it's different. It's a lot of young contemporary, especially Black artists, people of color just in general, all just providing their unique perspectives. It seems like right now is like that tipping point where there are just people who don't want to do things for the good of everyone else. And there's a lot of people who do have that clash of opinions which is really interesting. So, how do you think your work contributes to a Renaissance or just a movement of progress?
KT: Yeah, I think about that a lot. And I really focus on the work and the titles being poetic. Cause my favorite part of the Harlem Renaissance was the poetry, particularly Langston Hughes who comes into the work very often and just the way that I think about it. And I think that right now, what the Renaissance is and what the Renaissance can be about in terms of especially identity and around Black identity in the form of black leisure, and comfort, and really thinking about wanting to just live in this body and this skin. And then like, just to be happy without you know, not acknowledging the past, but in a situation where I don't have to get dragged into a conversation around slavery and in any instance that I want to bring up my identity.
And there's so much youth and a lot of people who were like, we don't want to have to relive every single story that we try to tell ourselves, they just want to be Black and I want to be luxurious in my own world and then expand. And I think that that's what my art is and the point where I want to acknowledge that history, but my life is not a reflection of that in the way that I want to live, and every time I see a movie it's about oh, how was, uh, being a slave back then, you know, it's so many stories, especially with movies and entertainers like, what just came out, a whole new series (Amazon Prime’s Them) that [has] people in an uproar about yet another black trauma movie. So, you know, I think that the change needs to happen in how you want to just live and be in every essence of the relaxed body and live off the fruits of your labor.
Yeah, it's interesting that you brought that up because I've been thinking about that a lot. And of course, I look and I guess there are just people trying to copy what Jordan Peele has been doing without realizing that it's not about like, basically what people called trauma porn, just horror and trauma and pain, almost for the fun of it. Like, we don't always want to see that! It’s not necessary. We think of, obviously Us and we think of Get Out, not as trauma, but we like the suspense. We like the historical references that are used as tools for the main characters, freedom and different things- that’s not so much about watching Black people get attacked.
We've seen that, we read history books, we know it's happened and is happening. And it’s heavy. And so that always is kind of pulled into question, is that even part of progress to me? Not really. It's just not fully understanding the assignment and just plowing ahead with it and that's- we're not asking for trauma. There's a difference between a psychological thriller and just straight-up racism and watching Black people get attacked. Like, I don't want to see that- I'm not gonna watch it. That’s not something I would enjoy. But then, you know, what about Black individuals in fantasy, we think Queen of the Damned with Aaliyah, or Blade with Wesley Snipes, like that's fantasy. That's the kind of world that we want to get into. So I think that we just need to listen more and understand what I guess people are asking for. And it's like, hey, what about this? And being able to say no, that's not it. I mean, I think it's just very interesting seeing that at least people are kind of trying to have a different narrative, whether or not they're successful at it or not. But I mean, we want a variety of things, you know, it doesn't have to be Black and then comedy just have a comedy with more Black people in it. How far does that go? I mean, seeing that kind of all over the place and allowing people to just explore who they are, especially as Black individuals has really been refreshing for me, you know, realizing that this is just part of our experience and let's talk about it, which is really nice.
KT: Yeah. I think that it's definitely interesting in terms of how things are going to change. Hopefully, they changed for the best, because I feel there was a point in maybe the nineties and early two thousands where there were Black sitcoms that were just Black people in experiences and moments. Maybe there was a lesson here or there, or, you know, things that they learned or talked about considering their blackness. But it was a lot of just, this is a family in a family situation, or this is a group of friends in a friend situation. That's exactly what we wanted. And I think that people, you know, at one point are starting to recognize that that's exactly what they wanted. And you know, maybe a situation where there's more range in colors or factors, especially in the age of the darker skin people. But I think that that's all part of the Renaissance now, it's like changing all of these things that we were either acknowledging back then, but didn't fully transition to where it was because of a lot of colorism. Like there were Black children, all those women in the show had lighter skin, where all the males were, you know, mixed or light skin or the one with really dark skin was some antagonist who was like the player.
DRS: I think that comes out all in the same category as art, now museums are changing in the same way that people are trying to address all of these stereotypes and problems and -isms that are just one of those things that need to happen, needs to be brought to the forefront to change. Because people don't want to be awkward and that's always the issue, people aren't okay with being awkward.
I mean, it's interesting to kind of see people not being comfortable with necessarily knowing how to take the step forward because they're just so afraid to say something wrong. And it's almost as if we're redefining, I guess this topic of a modern Renaissance going from doing things for the social-political aspect, but changing it to doing it just because we want to, you know, just saying, I want to do a show with a Black family, because that's a family that exists in the real world, let's do it. And the whole idea doesn't have to be political. It’s just, you know, a part of life. And I think that's important, as a part of progress, like, yes, this is what the world looks like.
And to me, that's another definition of Renaissance, being able to redefine it, to I guess fit with the times and to kind of let people find freedom within their own expressions instead of having to do it to serve a specific purpose. Yeah. I definitely see that's changing a lot in that there is definitely this pivot towards that. I mean, it's interesting, you know, even in general, seeing it with whatever painters there might be, especially now people are finding so many ways to express themselves because we had to change how we live our day to day. Whether it's just people being bored, but in a way, especially this past year that has been like this Renaissance because people are stuck at home and they have to find something to entertain themselves.
So now we have a lot of young people having their own business. My niece is 11. She's running a candle business out of her kitchen and to me, that's an aspect of the Renaissance, like moving forward and finding something that motivates you and something that might contribute to the progress of the world in general. And I think that that's something amazing. That's come out of such struggle and heartbreak and uncertainty is that a lot of people get innovative. A lot of people get creative. And through that, more aware of the world and through that, hopefully the world will slowly but surely get better and better.
KT: Yeah. Innovation is huge in a Renaissance and thinking about what changes and as far as innovation is always super important.