Kahlee Flower's Debut @ Dr Sketchy's Anti-Art School

I have been blogging under the name Kahlee Flower for a little while and I well kinda recently August 8th 2016 recently (still catching up with recording my activities), did a feature at The Wind Up Space for a monthly event Dr Sketchy's Anti Art School: Where Burlesque meets Life Drawing.

Brief Description from their social media page:

We're Baltimore's official branch of the NYC-based alternative life drawing event, where artists of all levels come to draw gorgeous burlesque performers, belly dancers, roller girls, and other fabulous performers and models! Join us on the 2nd Monday of the month at the Windup Space for some drawing, drinking, and debauchery.

This was a new sort of endeavor for meThis event occurred shortly after the tragic shooting of Korryn Gaines, a Randallstown, MD woman in her home and I decided that I needed to make notice of the reality of performers such as myself who are also people of color that as much as you love to watch the entertainment that our bodies are instruments of social uprising and healing of trauma. My performance was a rain dance of healing and justice to our fallen victims of this society.  

Wont Let it Be the Death of Me - Perception Technologies

Raging, heaving almost like a growl the primal instincts of a full grown human child of the stars
They say I'm a late bloomer, that they would've could've should've seen my face from here to the world on out had I made the adjustments unvalued in the current world order 
I wont let it be the death of me
Because I know many have died this way, raging seething boiling like a pot a top just waiting for its opportunity to pop, to be given an excuse to let loose, like so many folks that held guns to penetrate flesh of their kindred, a rage so deep its hidden in secret places of the heart that only few have journeyed to understand, fewer revered in overstance, I wont let it be the death of me I am a keeper of my own fate - so I declare it clearly so that the universe hears me:

My own demise will not be by the jerk reactions of my souls cries, panicking to come out and  be seen and heard, zooming into a vision or perception of things gossiped or perturbed
Silly ideas about meaning and traps, the love industrial complex or at your hands in a trance
or sex, even as my body aches to be let out like a shooting star- I realized it before and I state it now, I know where these sensation comes about - so I joyfully liveit  out - my dream in this world - And it Will Not Be The Death of Me
 I will hold it in sacred patience and honor for all of my loved ones- for all the lightworkers and soul stirrers -  - all in sacred time - and in the meantime Ill be just fine
I'll sit still in presence and allow the magnetic pull of my soul to express ancient chants blessings over all of my experiences and all that I do - so everywhere I go it will be recognized by the soul - universoul.

And It Will Not Be The Death of Me

As it has been for so many for so long and in so many ways
so many ways to die, what a shame to keep your soul locked in a cage
These cycles of punishment for spiritual accomplishment, punishment that you even exist, punishment that you could feel like that or like this
Violence subjugation and objectification for the fact that you are so fucking divine and you know it
It will not be the Death of Me
Who I am will not lead to my self destruction, judging it trying to wrap my head around it understand or just why just why how could I come to be, how can I exist - what power is this in my grip? it can be so big yet Ive been taught to make it so small to package it to sell it like a painting on the wall wrapped with a pretty bow - No.
For me, I choose to live free, I feel so passionately
And So for the people and the things in my life,
Life has shown me how this big big soul has been bamboozled to shift and try and fit at cusps of extremes in filtered perceptions and social machines
I found my soul hemmed up clashing with conditioning it saw somewhere maybe on tv

I once heard a voice that told me "Dont Go" I was getting ready to go out and play in the snow
"What?" I responded the voice said again "Dont Go"
I stood in silence and disbelief so I asked once more "What?"
The voice said again, this time with  tinge of irritation "Dont GO"
A memory that I will always remember, because that day I still decided to leave
Not to listen, and Ive learned many lessons since then, and I have come to learn that some lessons are harder than others and some lessons you can only learn once
So with the power invested in me in the Nommo of my speech I am my souls keeper and I say: It Will Not Be the Death of Me
I Will Never Die
Not only that, I will actually LIVE
I will not enslave my mind, body, spirit and emotions to the whims of someone elses story or world vision, or give it away to the magic delivered upon the masses in classes in races in status in money or even in partnership - binding ourselves to magic that subjugates from the macro to the microcosm
I do not believe the lies that they told me about my life, the whispers that they send through frequencies that they taunt me with when Im alone by myself, in trance or in situations itself
I will not be the Victim of my own truth
through the veil of the compartmentalized state of affairs
Regardless of how him or her or this or that lives - I will LIVE to the truest sense in the world but not of it - I am breaking through thresholds as I write and evolve this
My existence is clear of this : I Will Not Be The Death of Me
Nor is my existence dependent upon any label to make it stable, any title to walk taller
I Will Not Be my Own Victim or Your Victim or Their Victim
I Wont Let it Be the Death of Me
Because in Reality these technologies are just our own reflections looking back at us and these programs are on preprogrammed self destruct mode
Change the Narrative and let the universe be informed: I am a Living Whole Being Aware of Itself and with this knowledge I am profoundly and instantly washing away any construct or perception urging to lead me astray.
It Will Not Be The Death of Me
So where will this gift of life lead me next?

PERCEPTION TECHNOLOGIES

Futuristic Performance Art: Being a Living Sculpture At the BMA Party Of The Century

An Introspective Reflection: FAST FORWARD FUTURE  & Performance Art at the BMA “PARTY OF THE CENTURY”

Written by: Nicola Norman

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA): Saturday, November 15, 2014 circa November 2114

For the 100^th year anniversary of the Baltimore Museum of Art I showcased my first performance art piece, in support of Fast forward Future, an exhibit curated by Labbodies. Labbodies is a performance art platform and artist collective for experimental and interpretive performance artistry(http://labbodies.com/). My piece was an intersection of aesthetic , a boundless sort of intercultural education, and an “origin of humanity” theme. There were various parts to the larger piece in which my piece was part, yet everyone brought their unique expression, and message through each individual performance. The theme of the night explored the question, “what will the museum experience look like 100 years from now?” We envisioned the museum as a living cultural nucleus which interacts with the viewer. We featured living, breathing bodies- ART MANIFEST. At this time art no longer “imitates life” but IS living.  This living museum ultimately, in its presentation, consumption, and purpose can definitely vary in meaning depending on who is viewing - but with an accompanying central theme.

 As a living work of art, I was the original divine feminine archetype, a futuristic “first mother” or Auset “Eve”. I personified a living scroll of creation stories interacting with her environment. She was of course accompanied by her original divine male counterpart, Ausar or “Adam.” The performance was a relationship of this primordial futurism in gestural conversation, reaction, and coexistence. She tempted with her silver apple, maybe like the technology which had since taken God like form, or maybe like the forbidden fruit that Eve tempted Adam with in the Garden of Eden. An attention grabbing fruit although it was, an alluring prop with which she was engaged, observed, photographed- or a combination of these things.  

 I wore a circle around my neck, which I’m interpreting  as a sort of “crown”. Hung from it were long colorful drapings, in coincidental likeness to an  extinct bird that used to be commonly seen in Maryland. The bird (which maybe you can name) , became extinct after years of being hunted for sport. In a lime green bodysuit the piece was further brought to life- moving like a  transformative contortionist ballerina serpent  fairy on the dance floor in greetings to her people- I galavanted in our final dance!

My biggest challenge as living art: how to interact with my audience?

This was a question I sort of was trying to gauge throughout the night. Being as though I am an actual person as well as a “work of art”, there was this underlying feeling that people were expecting “something” from me. People sometimes came up to me to ask questions, unsure of whether they should even be interacting with me- or unsure of what I actually was. The apple was my biggest giveaway.

 

In a sense I felt a bit of a spectacle (without negative connotation) with all the oohs and ahhs of passersby. At various points my partner and I were fed drinks and fruit- which attracted crowds and flashing cameras from different directions.  Other times I  felt (merely?)  like an object standing on the wall, melting into my surroundings in various postures. “Adam” was quite the attention grabber, dazzling the attention of his female counterparts, but scattering at one point when I offered him a piece of my apple.

It was the BMA “party of the century”, and everyone came to be a part of this moment while being dazzled by our living futuristic artistry. The grandiose affair was a fantastic showcase of grassroots artists mingling with artsy, and privileged philanthropist types. Complete with horsd’oeuvres and drinks a plenty it was an official party for the “grown and sexy” lol. Collectively, we presented performance art that at times borderline enticed the libidal energy of the room. We were fresh fruit ripe for the visual consumption of the hungry art lover, the curious, and wealthy that special evening.

 We entered and exited with an official procession and with MAD APPROPRIATE MUSICAL INTRODUCTION (featuring music from Bmore Local Abdu Ali Eaton (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeLe08UlOuw), and the epic SUN RA )- we SERVED.

Interesting articles written on the historic event:

http://bmoreart.com/2014/11/the-great-divide.html

http://www.citypaper.com/photos/bcp-the-bma-at-100-after-party-in-photos-20141117,0,2002861.photogallery

http://bmoreart.com/2014/11/bma-party-of-the-century-photos.html

http://blog.artbma.org/party-of-the-century/

http://www.citypaper.com/blogs/the-news-hole/bcp-happening-sunday-american-wing-opening-celebration-at-the-bma-blade-runner-and-more-20141121,0,3018838.story

<3

  

The Honor of Being Painted

So Ive been given the high honor of my likeness being painted by an amazing artist friend of mine, Candace Fong. The collaborative piece was a pose from my self directed nude and implied nude photo series, shot by my lovely companion, Talbolt Johnson (Gifted Unity), and Malaika Aminata (OurNature). The skill and care that she clearly put into creating this masterpiece is truly humbling and graciously astounding!

Check out more of her art: https://www.facebook.com/cfongart?pnref=story (facebook)

http://www.cfongart.com/ (official website)

Support this brilliant artist!


The original image:

The painting (Oil on Canvas):

 

Brilliance. <3

Further Insight to Come...

18 Weeks Pregnant...

Wish I Could Explain Some of the Things Going Through my Brain, I havent been able to achieve that stillness that it takes to be a channel of my innermost self.

So Imma just chill for now and listen to my Hip Hop music...

 

Posted Up

 

#Queens