An Astonishing Conversation with Khalif Tahir Thompson
Courtesy of Artist
Khalif Tahir Thompson (b. 1995, NYC) is an African-American painter who just graduated from The Yale School of Art. His work explores notions of self through the scopes of race, sexuality, and spirituality, creating imagery that connects one to the realm of another. He alters perception and invokes empathy towards his subjects, depicting their reality across a visceral lens (subjects include family, friends, and cultural figures placed in constructed settings). Populated by black figures set in colorful, shimmering environments that can resemble patchworks verging on abstraction, his work is also rooted in reality. Painting in oils and acrylics, the artist creates his own paper, which he then applies to the canvas; he also likes to mix in pearls, fabric, velvet, newspaper, and leather to create wonderful material effects. An outstanding portraitist, the artist imbues his figures with a uniquely visual psychological identity, revealing a captivating depiction of figurative portraiture within a deeply defined mood. His palette and use of color are all devices to convey mood and harmony within his imagery, and he believes color works in tandem with texture, weight, and form in telling stories. Gravitating toward warmer earth tones typically found in domestic spaces, he also enjoys expanding into different realms of bright, imaginative color, typical of palettes found in fauvist works. His paintings are currently held in prestigious institutions, including Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX; Pérez Art Museum, Miami, Fl; The Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH; The Grant Hill Collection, Orlando, Fl; The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO.
I had the pleasure of asking Khalif what he would do if he was not doing art, the one thing that keeps him creating, and so much more.
UZOMAH: How does art generally make for a great medium to explore topics such as sexuality?
KHALIF: To me, art has the ability to reveal things about oneself you can’t explain by simply telling it. Sexuality, race, religion, and identity are all components of us as human beings, and when you create something, an object or image, your reflecting your experience, and hopefully revealing parts of yourself someone else can relate to.
U: What is one item you can not live without in terms of creating that is right now in your studio?
K: My music. Music gives me strength, motivation and inspiration to continue on and create something special.
Cherry Jubilee, 2023 Oil, pastel, acrylic, pleather, fabric, handmade paper (abaca, cotton), papyrus and construction paper on canvas.
227 × 159 cm / 89⅜ × 62⅝ in. © Khalif Tahir Thompson
U: If you could do anything but art, what would it be and why?
K: I would be doing some form of media/entertainment. Possibly stand-up comedy or art journalism, writing about music and art. Teaching and programming are something I’m interested in getting into in the future.
U: Can you name one thing that keeps you creative? How does it affect you in other areas of your life?
K: The will to create something meaningful that will last, and have a legacy. Sometimes this will can put enormous pressure on me and challenges me to work more and more, the goal of becoming one of my own heroes.
Unbending Groove, 2022 Huile, papier fait main, papyrus, velours, tissu, papier journal, acrylique et cuir sur toile.Oil, handmade paper, papyrus, velvet, fabric, newsprint, acrylic and leather on canvas. 167 × 196 cm / 65¾ × 77⅛ in © Khalif Tahir Thompson
U: As an artist, how do you perceive your role as a contributor to society? Your distinct viewpoint and the way you stimulate thought through your art are truly unique.
K: Thank you, and I see my work as merely an added component to a larger conversation. I believe art has a huge role in how we see ourselves and the world. I think I’ve had a very interesting life in terms of ups and downs, and that comes through the work.
U: What is the biggest misconception about your artwork?
K: That my work is merely autobiographical. My story and the material I work with are at this stage quite personal, but it is what they signify to an audience that places their importance and intrigue.
U: Do you face any pressures as an artist, especially with the early attention in your career? How do you manage these and maintain your commitment to your artistic vision?
K: Of course, demand, expectation, and consistency all come with a territory concerning business and achieving success. I’ve been fortunate to work on projects that I believe in and put my all into. I believe artists who know themselves and their work can manage to always stay attuned to what they find interesting and make it their own. I plan to have a long career and understand, no matter what the work is of the utmost importance to me.
Coffee and Cigarettes, 2023Oil, pastel, acrylic, pleather, fabric, handmade paper (abaca, cotton), papyrus and construction paper on canvas. 207,5 × 149,5 cm / 81¾ × 58⅞ in. © Khalif Tahir Thompson
U: Your first solo exhibition in Paris, Chilly Winds Don't Blow, opened at Galerie Zidoun-Bossuyt. It incorporates your painting, drawing, collage, printmaking, and paper-making. Can you discuss the overall theme and how you combined it to be represented in all the chosen mediums?
K: Chilly Winds Don’t Blow is much like my first two solo exhibitions in that I am continuing to probe my own family archive and inventing new ways to decontextualize these images using a myriad of colors, languages, and motifs, bringing new life to the images and subjects and imbuing them with my own experience.
U: What was the selection process like for collecting images for your latest book?
K: Very strenuous. Finding the right imagery is the hardest part of crafting a collection of material. I wanted to show my growth and how my work has changed. The journey is the most important and creating conversations that stimulate viewers and readers is my primary goal.
Khalif can be found on Instagram here.
