Meet Ron Brown | multidisciplinary Artist/renaissance Blackman

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ron Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ron, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Being a creative it can be hard to navigate the logistics of Bookkeeping and Finances in The Art world. My process is to be creative for myself and in return pull in a n audience that Loves the culture of hip-hop and Comics and Abstract Afrocentric dreamscapes. Create a world that the audience feels engaged to tap into their own imagination.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In Brown’s art, he pursues the work of Afrofuturism because it expresses the beauty of Blackness and African diaspora culture. He speaks upon his Black culture and lived truth. “My art is my sword and my tongue is my shield,” he says. His paintings show bold lines, creating figures and facial features that represent the African diaspora in some way, literal shape, or form. And the paintings have warm and cool colors that come together collectively. Throughout his artwork, Brown has redrawn negative aspects of his past as a way for him to redraw his own reality. Many people imagine flying cars and the unknown future, but Brown’s future is informed by his past, a reality revolved around the life of living in the projects and the struggles of being a Black man. In the world of visual arts, Black people’s artwork doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Brown pushes back against this, creating art to make Black people feel proud of themselves and to feel seen. Because they have more potential than what the world credits them with. The challenges he experiences as an artist come from the fact that he’s Black. Black people don’t have safe spaces to freely express themselves culturally and artistically. Black communities are hurting from the many injustices that target Black souls deeper then we can imagine. This is why Afrocentric art is important in Brown’s work. He believes that Black art must be celebrated so that we can see the many layers of Blackness in art and the many layers of Black existence.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Minneapolis has a lot of Art galleries/Food/Nightlife/Nature

Monday would Visit MIA and or vast Home-grown Galleries in the twin cities.
Tuesday I would create a culinary tour of the many Dives/Food truck/Brewery tours here.
Wednesday Moving on We take in the vast nature the cities have to offer from lakes to fishing/hiking/biking We have it all.
Capping off Thursday with a Hip-hop infused night of spirits and lyrics at the many nightlife happenings in the TC’s.
Friday Beats and Tacos and vintage shopping across the cities is an adventure in itself.

I want to be clear that Minneapolis has many great Cultural infused Qualities to offer but has a long way to go like so many American cities do.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate this to My Children Ronnie/Lynea/Georgia/Koko/Yoyo

My God Father Mentor Ta-Coumba T. Aiken, Mpls Mn

Chris/Cara Deans the Roho Collective Mpls mn

Richard Moody I am Moody Mpls mn

Sean James The Lounge Mpls Mn

Micheal Kuykindall From the Roots St Paul Mn

Instagram: afroanimeillustrator_ronbrown

Linkedin: Ron Brown

Facebook: Ron Brown

Image Credits
Ron Brown Photo by Jade Patrick