Creating art doesn’t always (or usually) come easy—which can result in work that looks strained or overwrought. But, from the looks of artist Kevin Byrd’s pieces, he appears to be having a good bit of fun. The 37-year-old Lake Claire dweller landed in ATL from Charleston, S.C., to get his BA in Architecture from Southern Polytechnic State University. Since then, the full-time artist has been busy: exhibiting at spots like MINT, MOCA and Swan Coach Gallery; being dubbed a Dashboard Co-op artist and Hambidge Fellow, becoming a finalist for the Forward Arts Foundation Artist Award; and collaborating with companies like Alternative Apparel, Amchair Media, Disney, Adult Swim and more.
Here, Byrd talks to CommonCreativ ATL about why he makes art, clarity over cleverness, and why he doesn’t believe in “selling out.”
CommonCreativATL: What inspired you to get your degree in Architecture?
Kevin Byrd: Organic Chemistry II. I was at a small school in Macon studying to be a chemist and failed. I sought architecture because it played on my strengths—[it’s] a perfect marriage of art and science.
CC: How did that bring you to what you’re doing now?
KB: The architecture education raised my consciousness of things like space, light, form, and how humans perceive and engage in the world. The elements you have to consider are quite large, so a deliberate creative process is necessary to hold it all together. It makes you consider broad concepts to address all these elements. When I ventured into other mediums—photography, video, graphic design, interactive—it was almost easier in these less complex disciplines. There’s a rigor in architecture studio practice and a sensitivity to spacial concerns that I bring with me to art making.
CC: You’ve been quoted saying, “it’s the making that I love.”
KB: I believe making is discovery. What comes out the other end of the making process (good or bad, success or failure) is in many ways inconsequential to me. It’s the doing that I love. The artifact is just an output. I get lift from making new things and exploring new territory. Discovering. I find meaning in it. In art, there’s something about the pursuit of the unknown that I find thrilling. It’s the making that I love.
CC: What’s your artistic process?
KB: In many ways, I see the artistic process as a pursuit of creating new things. I consider my art making a bit like experiments—I’m less driven by metaphor and narrative. It’s not about my personal history nor an anecdote about my mother’s cooking. Material is central. It’s about uncovering new ways to create, how things are made, and exploring the physical properties of materials. I’m captivated by new production methods. Lately though, I’ve tried to let go of control, and to set things into motion to “see what happens.”
CC: How would you describe your design philosophy?
KB: Dieter Rams said, “Design is as little design as possible.” To me, it’s about uncovering what’s important, and letting it be that. Clarity over cleverness.
CC: How do you choose what materials to use and where installations should take place?
KB: I’m led mostly by curiosity. With installations, I’m generally presented a space. I spend time in it to understand it, then create something that responds to it.
CC: You’ve worked with some big-name brands—how do you authentically promote yourself as an artist?
KB: There was a time when people believed artists “sold out” by working with big companies. I think that’s antiquated. It’s about shared values and creating with purpose. Whether those values are shared with a person or brand makes no difference in the end. Right now, design happens with brands because there is business value to it. I’m an artist because I make art whether or not someone is paying me. It’s like being a musician. You do it because you love it.
CC: Why do you make art?
KB: I make art because I don’t have to. It gives me room to experiment without the trappings of design, which involves communicating a message or serving a function. I’m interested in making new things, and in art making I find that space.
CC: What’s next for you?
KB: I’m talking about minimalism at Creative Mornings this Friday. Then I’m going to San Francisco for a few weeks to reflect and get inspired. I have some new things in the works, but it’s too early to share.
CC: Can you give us some details on your Creative Mornings talk?
KB: I’m gonna share my take on minimalism and how’s it influenced me. I’m less of TED presenter and more of a stand-up comedian when it comes to these things.
CC: What do you think of the Atlanta arts scene?
KB: It used to be all my friends in art would have to jettison to New York or L.A. after school because Atlanta just didn’t offer the outlets for artists. In the past few years, we’ve seen the rise of nonprofits like BurnAway, WonderRoot and ArtsATL. They’ve helped to create a stickiness for talent to work here. It’s an exciting time to be an artist in Atlanta—to grow with the city. The cost of living makes it easier to do art without struggling so hard to make ends meet. I’m particularly happy about what’s happening in dance in Atlanta. Overall, I think we’re on the brink of something big, and I’m happy to be helping to build it with such great people here.
For more of Kevin’s work, check out hello.kevinbyrd.com.
