Psychedelic Art – The Illusion Is Real...
Joseph Watkins
Art is subjective. Art is the unconscious meeting the subconscious. Art is a form of imagery that brings out the soul’s emotions and on July 9th, I laid witness to a psychedelic experience that would forever leave an imprint on me.
Walking down a series of steps, I was confronted by a mosaic of stickers laced with familiar brands ranging from A Bathing APE to the musical stylings of Bob Marley. It looked like the art show already started. As I glanced to my right, I saw “The Void”; a portrait of a Black Man yelling and screaming, with no one listening to his cries. The voiceless, is what I call it, but as I said, art is subjective.
As I entered this creative space, and went through security, I walked through the hallway and on my immediate left, I saw pop culture in all its forms. Funko, the famed street art toy designer, COARSE’ s merchandise, the Puerto Rican Flag (Respect), a Kobe portrait, and a throne laced with Supreme logo’ed teddy bears. Among the pop culture aesthetics, overseeing the success of the event space is the gallery’s owner, the famous Felix Natal Jr.
Feliz Natal Jr.
Photographer, Trend Setter, Seriel Entrepreneur, Felix Natal Jr.; the famous Beast of the East’s venue was fully loaded with a treasure trove of pop culture merch in his famed creative studio, Media City Studio located in Lyndhurst, NJ. The studio, a hub for the creatives in music, technology, photography, and overall chill spot for the enlightened is lit AF. Having the chance to speak with him, Felix Natal jr. is a humble person, whose success speaks for itself. Blessed to have worked with countless artists in many fields of pop culture, his accolades are dispersed throughout the studio’s ecosystem and are a testament to his drive and success.
Some of Felix Natal Jr.’s Magazine Covers
Owner of the Spicy Rose: Mitzy
Walking through another corridor laced with signed jerseys from the NBA and the NFL, I ran into the entrepreneur bartender, Mitzy; who is the owner of The Spicy Rose. The Spicy Rose is a mobile bar service that incorporates everything, from gourmet syrups to modernized drinks for consumers and creatives. Having a brief chance to speak with her, she informed me that she’s been a chef for 4 years and that her business has been running for 2 years strong. Intrigued by her drink selections, she didn’t disappoint as I tried the “Meteorite”, a bubbly concoction of bourbon, juices and a special ingredient. The drink definitely paralleled the atmosphere and “i” enjoyed every drop of it.
Isaac
I had the opportunity to speak with the psychedelic curator, Isaac, about his mind-altering event filled with a litany of happenings to distort our cerebellum in the guise of music, art, infused meals, drinks, and friends. As we spoke, he offered sound advice on creating art shows and events for the up and coming creative:
Joseph Watkins (JW): What made you create this event?
Curator: Isaac Williams
Isaac (I): This has been an event I’ve been thinking about for several years now, a very long time, since 2014. I really wanted to bring a way for everybody to come together to work on pieces that they can express their inner-body-discovery of who they are.
JW: Okay.
I: So, when I do my work, it’s from my intuition, which is basically what art is, when you’re making it. Art is more of trying to communicate with your subconscious. So basically, it’s like, your subconscious and your consciousness meeting together and having a dialogue through art.
JW: Nice. How would describe your event?
I: As the whole entirety of the event, I’m so interested in everyone coming together and operating on a certain frequency as one unit. Usually, art does that and this event does it too as well.
Isaac’s energy is contagious and inviting as he has amassed some phenomenal creatives to encompass this creative space for a night of psychedelic art debauchery. As the interview ended, I entered one of the display rooms and I immediately saw two portraits that altered my perception and my opinions of psychedelic art.
The Art of Luis Lopez
Luis Lopez
Also known as LULOPRE, I saw his colorful portrait of a Mesoamerican in a brightly colored mosaic of brown, green and red tones. Encompassing the entire space of the canvas, I saw an elder searching for wisdom from the ancient god, Quetzalcóatl; the god of winds and rain and the creator of humanity. I also saw where humanity ended, the heavens began, and with the eagle on the elders shoulder leading the way. Appearing to be a bird who works for Quetzalcoatl, it looks like he’s signaling to the famed god that the elder is okay and that the meeting can continue. Very Iconic.
Unfazed by Lucy Martin
Lucy Martin
Next, I was led to the world of Lucy Martin and her work, titled ‘Unfazed’. Her artwork is a testimony to the ‘BS’ that women sometimes must ingest and with self-care and time, and an occasional blunt, a woman’s throat chakra can open up and release their ability to both communicate and speak their inner truth. Additionally, the third eye also manifests in the portrait as it is represented in the purple haze. In my opinion, this piece is ideal as the third eye’s connection with the throat represents a powerful vocal force for truth. Trusting one’s own intuition followed by speaking the truth on bullshit that comes your way is an ability that many do not have, yet she’s one who has mastered the skill.
I need this painting in my collection as it’s a strong reminder of your intuition, gut instinct, imagination, and self care.
Taste Bud Club
Of course, no psychedelic event would be possible, if there wasn’t sustenance to keep us in the zone and no one did it better that the catering group Taste Bud Club. Known for creating phenomenal infused dinners, these caterers really did their thing as I managed to eat some of their sweet kale salad and let me tell you, the food kept my vibe going.
My last exploration of the psyche led me to the musical stylings of Claude Davi$, Chip The Plug, and KFresh headlined and introduced by the fabulous host, Mario.
Claude Davi$
The Cuban-Jersey native of North Bergen, Claude Davi$, blessed the stage with his catchy Never on My Mind (NOMM), produced by CASHMONEY Ap. On NOMM, he speaks of the grind, while being focused on the bag, absent, the woman of his past who is trying to get back with him. We then had the chance to hear Curtains Close, an eclectic medium of guitar riffs that brings you back to the early 2000s with Nirvana, but with a modified trap beat blended within. Listening to Curtains Close reminded me of a time when my struggles piled up on me with no hope of coming out of them. Luckily, for me, I managed to survive it so I can be here today.
Chip The Plug
Musician, Christopher Coto aka Chip The Plug is a one in a million creator. Bassist to the Montclair, NJ punk rock Band Back Pocket Alimony, he provided us with his alternative side as his smooth soulful stylings of “Reasons”, led to the lesson that one should be careful when being in a relationship. As he continued to go into two more ballads, I turned around to look at the crowd; his energy, transferable, as the multitude nodded their heads in a positive response. Although, he works in a rock group, he also has something here as a solo artist, and I wish him the best on his musical endeavors.
KFresh
To our surprise, the host Mario supplied us with another guest in the lineup, KFresh. As he touched the stage, the R&B vibes immediately started to flow. Starting with an A capella flow, ‘his high on love’ approach touched the crowd in such a way, some started to make plans later for the night, myself included. As he concluded with his hit, ‘Miles Away’ and ‘Toxic’, I started to understand how all the artists songs started to fit the psyche of the night as they each supplied their own mental stimulation with a particular feeling unique to each individual.
Final Thoughts
As the curator, Isaac stated, ‘art is the meeting of the subconscious and the conscious’. Each and every aspect of the event opened up a new level of the mind exposing, for some, their creative side. For others, it allowed them, if only for a few minutes, to be transported to another world in which responsibilities and sensibilities were put on a back seat and as I reflected on the summary of the night, even my psyche too, became elevated and as I started to leave this artistic cornucopia of infused meals, new age drinks, soulful music and mind-altering art, I opened the door that led me back to the outside world and started to feel the rain, bringing my high down. It’s normal out here. Regular. I already miss the experience. In the midst of the COVID pandemic, Isaac safely allowed us to experience what it was like to see his world with his friends and I’m hoping that we will all get a chance to visit that world again, art and all.
