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anatomy of an artist: solange
There is no art without community. When we fall in love with a record, a film, or a podcast, we have an entire family to thank, not just the face that serves us. To all the people who make the magic happen, we see you and we thank you. Creating discourse takes a village and you make it possible. It is as important to celebrate the artists and makers who don’t often get named the way the ones we see do. We begin our Anatomy of an Artist series with Solange. It is no secret that Solange is one of the great creatives of our time. Today, she dropped her latest record, When I Get Home. It’s only right to honor Solange’s latest gift to the world by lifting up everyone who had part in its creation. We had the pleasure of speaking with some of the geniuses behind When I Get Home. Be sure to download the album and follow the artists to keep up with their work.
Original image without text by Max Hirschberger (@maxhirschberger)
Meet Neyon, model for Solange’s When I Get Home.
What is your name ?
I am formally known as Neyon but my birth given name is Jamiel.
How old are you ?
I recently turned 28, February 26
What is your occupation?
I am currently an adult entertainer (stripper). Aside from that I curate content based around performance & visual artistry, as well as advocating body positivity & mental wellness in black communities.
Where do you live?
I currently reside in Providence RI.
What is your favorite Solange song?
My favorite Solange song would have to be between “Losing You” & “Scales”
What was your reaction when you found out you would be working with Solange ?
It was surreal, truly. But somehow felt entirely right. I had actually had so many of my followers via instagram asking when I would be working with her, as most believed I resembled her physically & aesthetically. So to see something like this come to life, I really can’t even explain the feeling. I am still processing everything, & continue to feel immense gratitude to be given the experience in this lifetime. I was generally flattered, as I am always looking for ways to shatter the narrative that people give pole dancers & strippers.To share creative space with someone I truly admire in many different ways, as a black women to see someone who looks like me, who creates and continues to show the world that black women are truly multifaceted and powerful. I feel in alignment with my purpose.
When do you feel most seen ?
I suppose I feel most seen when I am felt and heard through my work. Movement and performance art is a way for me to communicate what I sometimes have trouble saying.
My emotions sometimes run rampant and strong. And hearing others connect with that, connected with emotion, especially being a brown women who has had there experience invalidated in the past, is profound for me. I am constantly looking for ways to feel connect to my human experience, & movement, intentional movement is connective in the sense that it connects me to myself, & others to me. When I feel safe to express myself, I feel seen.
Where can we follow your work ? What would your Black Planet Username be ?
I currently work solely from instagram (neyon_tree), however I am in the middle of creating a website that will be even more intimate & expressive then my instagram. I do not have a Blackplanet account, as I had never heard of it until Solange announced it.
Meet Sarah Nicole François, Artist/Designer for Solange’s When I Get Home
What is your name ?
Sarah Nicole François
How old are you ?
27.
What is your occupation?
Artist/designer.
Where do you live?
Cyberspace.
What is your favorite Solange song?
“Mad”.
What was your reaction when you found out you would be working with Solange ?
“The stars are aligning.”
When do you feel most seen ?
When I look in the mirror and self reflect or when I create something that I think speaks to my inner self, that’s when I feel most seen, when I see myself.
Where can we follow your work ?
@sarahnicolefrancois on Instagram.
What would your Black Planet Username be ?
ooomad
Meet Cary Fagan, Creative Director and Photographer for Solange’s When I Get Home
What is your name ?
Cary B Fagan Jr.
How old are you ?
28.
What is your occupation?
Photography and visual arts.
Where do you live?
Houston, Texas
What is your favorite Solange song?
Hmmm.. it’s a toss up between “Sound of Rain”, and “I’m A Witness”; fell in love with the visuals for “Sound of Rain”
What was your reaction when you found out you would be working with Solange ?
Goosebumps; a new challenge to learn and grow from – we all know she loves bringing indifferent elements to her creative process.
When do you feel most seen ?
In nice clothes with good friends.
Where can we follow your work ?
You can follow my work here at www.cary-fagan.com;
My work is also available as puzzles; we all deserve time to disconnect https://timelessgoods.store
What would your Black Planet Username be ?
This is my Black Planet username: blackplanet.com/caryfagan
Congratulations to the entire team who worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life. While we were lucky enough speak to Neyon and Sarah, we’d be remiss if we didn’t shout out the artists who haven’t been interviewed. Congratulations and thank you to the following:
Manfred Thierry Mugler for Solange’s body suit that we are jealous you didn’t give to us because it’s incredible
Max Hirschberger for your photography skills and blessing us with our new Solange phone backgrounds
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuXhIUdgCP6/
Esmay Eagemans for putting Solange in a b-e-a-utiful wearable sculpture proving she truly is a living, breathing, work of art
Kyle Luu for doing the impossible (making Solange look even more stylish than ever)
Zola for being a hell of a model! Slayage never looked so good.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BulIxKQHqDv/
Yeha Leung for making the coolest handmade clothing ever, wow and also WOW!
Peter Do for those fire cowboy boots. I will be wearing those to my wedding.
Sabla Stays for choosing the best direction for the art!
But most of all… thank you Ms. Tina because you are the foundation. And thank you for your Instagram.
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