By Matt Martin
For those of you who don’t know, Bronzeville is a Chicago neighborhood east of U.S. Cellular Field and south of 31st Street. It’s the home of the Bud Billiken Parade, beautiful old greystone mansions, lake views, a burgeoning art scene and artist Joe “Cujo” Nelson. In addition to Chicago murals and art gallery exhibitions, Joe has painted murals in Italy, Ireland, and several other states in the United States. He creates work with spray paint as well as traditional oils and acrylics. Recently, Joe and I met on the corner of 35th and Cottage Grove, just south of the CTA bus stop, and looked at sculptures while tipping back a six pack of Heineken.
MM: What’s the difference between creating a mural versus a canvas?
JN: I like to carefully plot out my larger projects. I think long and hard about what I want to paint, the style I want to paint the image in and the impact I want it to have on its viewers. I sometimes can get a little obsessive about a painting to the point where I can’t sleep the night before I paint a wall.
Smaller paintings are much easier to produce. They usually come off almost like random thoughts. Depending on the concept and theme, some small pieces can be completed in one sitting. I also like to have a glass of cognac and maybe a cigar to help set the tone for a killer piece.
MM: Chicago’s art scenes are rich and varied. Why is Bronzeville relevant and what do you see in its future?
JN: For such a relatively small area, Bronzeville is a very unique place. It has one of the most historic African-American music and art backgrounds in Chicago. However, I think much of that empowering culture and unity has diminished over the years. I would like to see Bronzeville re-establish itself as a black metropolis and be a hub for urban arts and music much like it was in the 1920’s. Right now we have a few art galleries making noise, as well as a number of key entertainment venues making strides toward building a better Bronzeville.
MM: How does technology impact the art scene?
JN: Technology and new advancements in mediums are making it much easier to create great looking productions in less time and effort. The computer alone is an awesome tool when used the right way. It’s opening the game up for a lot of young cats. I like it. It’s raising the bar high and creating good competition. Looking at the impact of the current street art movement alone you can see a growth in the level of production quality and content that was not present ten years ago. Still, you can’t fake painting a good piece — you have to bring your skills to the wall.
MM: Okay, last serious one… The battle between art and commerce will be fought until the only thing left on the planet is dust. What advice do you have for young artists on how to navigate that world?
JN: Don’t quit your day job. Seriously. Don’t quit your day job. The odds of great success are not in your favor. Work twice as hard as the next man and be twice a talented.
MM: For all of the preconceptions North Siders have of the South Side, which is the most egregiously wrong?
JN: I dunno, man! Many of the stereotypes are true. The South Side has been absolutely crazy the last few years. There is poverty, the education system is crazy, gun violence rampant, and this is all on top of so many other ills we are dealing with on the South Side. However, there is a great deal of good happening on the South Side that never makes the news. It’s not all bad.
MM: Best BBQ spot on the South Side?
JN: Though I have not gone there recently, I would have to give the BBQ crown to I-57. Lately, though, I have been satisfying my BBQ fix at Uncle Joe’s Jerk Chicken.
MM: Favorite pair of kicks?
JN: I’m a big fan of the Retro Jordans #3 and the Classic Pro Model Shell Toe Adidas. Clae has a really nice collection of kicks, too!
MM: You’re a South Sider by birth. Which North Side neighborhood would you actually live in?
JN: If I had to live north I would probably live in Lakeview. I spent a lot of time up there and I still have a few good friends in the area. Plus, it’s not super far away from things that I need to get to. But that North Side parking sucks by the way.
MM: Favorite gallery in Chicago?
JN: Tough one, I like Dougals Dawson, Gallery Guichard, Packer Schopf, The MCA… I can’t properly answer that question. I’m all over the place.
MM: Favorite music to listen to while creating art?
JN: That changes quite often. Right now it’s been Kendrick Lamar and the new Eminem. I’m typically in a battle mode when I’m at a wall painting. That’s a high pressure point for me; I have a short amount of time to deliver quality goods to the public. The studio is a very different place. It’s a relaxed, calm and technical place. That’s where I play a little Carl Thomas, Sade, or some Bebel Gilberto and make the passion to the canvas.
MM: Are Beats headphones really worth it?
JN: Hell no! Don’t get me wrong. They sound great but let’s be serious for a moment… For that price, I can buy a good pair of Sony headphones for $40 bucks, a bottle of single barrel Jack Daniels, put $25 in the gas tank, buy a decent meal, and still have about a hundred dollars to buy paint. Sorry, Dr. Dre, but that’s a no-brainer.
MM: Best thing you bought in the last six months?
JN: Ticket to Miami Art Basel. I will be down there painting two murals this year and popping into as may art galleries as I possibly can. It should be BIG fun.
MM: In the dystopic future when street artists rule the world with an iron fist and a spray can, which book is in your backpack and which album is a must-have on your iPod?
JN: I would definitely have one of those BIG ASS art history books that you would find at the discount table in Borders. Not only would it be an education tool but it could also double as a weapon or exercise weight. As far as dystopic future soundtracks go I would most likely have that classic Wu-Tang Forever banging in the headphones.
To see more of Joe Nelson‘s work, and to keep up to date on his exhibitions go to: http://www.joenelsonart.com
Matt Martin is a writer, actor, and producer, a graduate of the Second City Conservatory program in Chicago, owns a bachelors and is working on a MFA in Fiction Writing from Columbia College Chicago. Matt is the Interviews Editor for Hypertext Magazine. Has been published in Hair Trigger, Trilling, Mad Licks, and Fictionary. Matt also writes a sports blog for Chicago Now, and would love to be able to make a living from doing something related to the arts, but until then he’ll work toward collecting a pension from the city in 25 years.