Realzart
“As long as my art makes you question something in the world, I’m good.”
Art is a conduit to express self, send messages, capture culture, etc. Realzart understands that assignment. Ace was able to sit down with Realzart to discuss his journey through art, his goals and aspirations, and what art really means to him. Pour L’âme would like to thank Realzart and encourage all readers to head over to his Instagram, follow, and support!
An artist’s first statement is his name, how did you come up with yours?
RZA: Well my name is Joreal, but I didn’t want people saying my whole name so I went by Real to switch it up. Then at the time I was learning about Mozart the composer in my art classes so I changed it to Realzart because I’m a graphic artist. That’s a little too long to sign on my artwork so I shortened it to RZA. Then my homeboy put me on to Wu and for the first time I went into the individuals of the group and it inspired some of my artwork.
What was the birth of your relationship with art?
RZA: : I always fucked with it but I was more into sports, I just always took an art class for the easy A. I actually liked the class so the work was good, then one day my teacher decided to submit my work for an art show at NCCU. I didn’t win but I was the only high school student with my work in the show. I ended up going to college and in my sophomore year I was drawing, someone saw it and I was convinced to change my major to art. From there I started to learn about graphic art which is more digital.
So where did you start to dedicate to pursuing art?
RZA: Not until my senior year art show in college. The local news covered it and the interviewer was telling me how much she liked my work. I was able to sell two pieces there and the interviewer put it in the paper. And that’s when I was like “I could do something with this!”
How do you feel art helped you in your personal life?
RZA: I don’t think it really helped my personal life. My personal life helped my work. My relationships and my experiences shape my art. I’m into symbolism so sometimes I put different hidden things in my artwork that’s personal.
So me personally I know when I started to make music, I started to see things from a different perspective. Do you think pursuing art has helped you see things differently?
RZA: Yeah, definitely. It made me respect creatives a lot differently. As a consumer you don’t really understand what goes into a product until you have to do it. So I definitely have a different respect for people who make things from scratch.
You’ve become more of a digital artist, what made you transition from drawings and paintings to digital art?
RZA: Expenses mostly. You have to buy canvases, paint, brushes, etc. it costs a lot less to be able to produce more high quality work. College students be broke.
“I have an obsession with symbolism. It’s in everything, on tv, money, etc. there’s a lot of lies...”
Your art is a little abstract, tell me a little about the inspiration behind that.
RZA: I have an obsession with symbolism. It’s in everything, on tv, money, etc. there’s a lot of lies, you know how it is. I love stories. But I don’t draw the line because you can interpret my art in many ways. My message will still be there and some times people point things out in my art that I don’t even realize.
What keeps you going today artistically?
RZA: I don’t like working, honestly. Especially for anyone else. Art doesn’t feel like work to me though. The goal is to make it so that art is the only thing I have to do.
You’ve gone to school for art and you’ve studied it. What is your favorite era of art?
RZA: The Harlem renaissance is probably the time period that inspired me the most because they were reporting what was going on through their art. It was across all mediums, music, photography, as well as the fine art. Just an overall moment for Black art.
You’ve gone to school for art and you’ve studied it. What is your favorite era of art?
RZA: The Harlem renaissance is probably the time period that inspired me the most because they were reporting what was going on through their art. It was across all mediums, music, photography, as well as the fine art. Just an overall moment for Black art.
How do you want people to feel when they experience your art?
RZA: I don’t really care how they feel, the world doesn’t care how you feel. I just want them to think. A lot of people allow other people to think for them. Art is the only time you have freedom of speech. As long as my art makes you question something in the world, I’m good.
