This week on the My Modern Met Top Artist podcast (https://podcast.mymodernmet.com/), we interview illustrator Nikkolas Smith. Nikkolas' work became particularly prominent in the wake of the George Floyd murder and subsequent protests, as he uses his art to support Black Lives Matter. We chat with Smith about the meaning behind his "ARTivism" and discuss how sketching each Sunday and posting it online changed his life.
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Website: https://www.nikkolas.art/
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Timestamps
03:14 - How does Nikkolas Smith define ARTivism?
04:58 - Sunday Sketch and Using Art as Therapy
07:04 - The concept behind Nikkolas Smith's viral illustration of Martin Luther King Jr wearing a hoodie
09:03 - The story behind Smith's illustrations supporting the Black Lives Matter movement
12:04 - How it felt to have Michelle Obama and other celebrities share his portrait of George Floyd and others lost to police violence
14:15 - How the families of those lost to police violence have reacted to Nikkolas Smith's portraits
16:15 - How the birth of Smith's son has changed his perspective on his art
18:40 - How Nikkolas Smith approached his work on the book "The 1619 Project: Born on the Water"
22:49 - What steps does he recommend for young black artists to start making money?
23:39 - How does Nikkolas' background in architecture influence him as an artist?
25:28 - What sort of impact does Nikkolas hope that his art will have?
#Illustration
