Stoic Anunnaki - Visual Artist/Music Statement

Apparently the first drawing I did was when I was two. After that I would steal my mothers important papers, and draw these weird little monster guys all over them, and shove them into this drawer. I started getting up (term for tagging) when I was about 13 or so. At that time I really didn't know much about the culture, I just loved the colors, characters, and letters that went along with the graffitti movement. I love to work with water based paints because of the fluidity, and flexibility you get. Each mark really has a mind of its own, and I like that. Beyond that I use anything I can get my hands on. Using items of impermanence is really my thing.

-I got the name Stoic from my 10th grade english teacher. She used to write a word of the day, and I would always write the words in graffitti letters on my folders. One day the word was stoic and I liked the way it flowed. I looked into where the word stoic came from, and discovered the stoics, and the ancient group of greeks who studied the practices of stoicism. They would block out distracting emotions, and discourse from the world around them, blocking it all out in order to find peace within themselves. It stuck, and I've been writing it for about 15 years now.

-My work is inspired by all the beautiful and dilapidated things that go on around us in the ever changing world. I find beauty is deterioration. For instance a city building at one point could be so powerful and important. Over the years it begins to break down and fall to pieces. Then out of these broken down pieces new life is sprouted. It becomes a new thing entirely. MY street pieces go through this same concept. They start out being these very powerful images and over time they break down into almost nothing, but their presence is still there. I studied art history, focusing mostly on the cradle of civilization. I used a lot of ancient symbols for the afterlife, and reincarnation in my work. I believe our society is going through a death, and then a rebirth shall come from the broken pieces.

--My music directly connects to my art. My music represents the soundtrack to the world in which my art lives. I used old school outdated samplers, and instruments to created my down tempo dark/airy hip hop sounds. I have released about 4 albums under the moniker Stoic.

-"A long time ago England was at war with an infultrating army. This army came storming into London, and began to take over. The army general of England asked the King if he wanted to send the archers out to take out the invaders. The King replied "No send out the peasants first for they are cheaper than arrows!" in this society we are cheaper than arrows." -Leopaldo Tablada