TDC: Let's start the interview with a brief introduction to your work and yourself.
BK: My art is my personal craft. A craft I am proud to share with the people. Every piece goes through the same process, which are all raised from a simple idea. The mediums I tend to work with are acrylic, glues and wooden board. Sometimes I feel like a sculptor because each wooden board is hand cut, painted, and assemble to create an image I’m trying to present. The main theme of my pieces are color and how important that element is.
TDC: How did you get started as an artist?
BK: I’ve been in Orlando, Florida all my life and I’ve always love drawing and working with my hands. No one really taught me how to use a pencil or brushes to create images; it was just a way for me to not pay attention in class. I never thought it would consume so much of my time now. When I was in middle school I hated art because I was often bothered to draw something for people and it got to a point where I was haunted by the thought of drawing. I started to get into painting in high school, around my sophomore year. During this time I regained my interest to create, not for others but for myself. My art instructor encouraged me to display my art works, which I did, but it was only at local school hosted events.
It wasn’t into my junior year in high school, when a friend of mine recommended me to show some of my work in a small lobby downtown with local young artist. From showing my art there every month I soon realized that the people of Orlando cared and acknowledge art. I would sell pieces for 15 dollars and I would feel like I’m on top of the world.
TDC: What is the meaning behind your work? Does your work carry a message, if so what?
BK: Every work usually have their own messages or morals that we will often run into once or twice in our life that everyone can relate to. These messages or morals make the people interested in learning about the paintings and a great way for me to start conversations at shows. However, there are some paintings where I create just for the fun of it. I like to incorporate different bright happy color schemes to mask the gory and demented content of the paintings.
TDC: Where do you get your influence? Cover both other artist and other things that you gain influence from
BK: My craft have gone along way since I’ve started developing myself as an artist. There are many artists that I’ve met; I would pick up the things they have taught me along the way to build onto this craft. My main influence would have to be art history and how the artists had so much pride for their work and their craftsmanship is flawless. I took an art history class in high school and I loved looking at all the pictures in the textbook and drooling over their work. I didn’t past the Advance placement exam for the context of the history part, but what I did gain from it was inspiration and motivation for creating art that is not taken for granted. These master artists would submerge themselves to create such powerful pieces with far less resources than what we have today (i.e. the internet), and I long for that, I long to perfect the craft that they have perfected centuries before me. Truly, was I inspired since then.
TDC: Who are some artist that you would like your work compared to?
BK:Line work of the Albrecht Durer, Michaelangelo, and Leonardo de Vinci. Also, block prints of Katsushika Hokusai, woodwork of Aj Fosik, and the use of color by Murakami Takashi.
TDC: Explain your name, Boy Kong.
BK: “Boy” is the nickname I grew up with since I was born, given to me by my grandmother and was lovingly called by my mother as I was in trouble growing up. “Kong” was something I added because I felt it was such a powerful word that represented more than just ‘big’ or ‘good’. Now, I just go along with people calling me “Boy” in the streets.
TDC: You seem to use a number of different mediums, even including shoes. What is your favorite medium and why?
BK: Wood because it is living and I like how forgiving it is. I just love it and I feel it almost adds a little more life to my work.
BK: “Boy” is the nickname I grew up with since I was born, given to me by my grandmother and was lovingly called by my mother as I was in trouble growing up. “Kong” was something I added because I felt it was such a powerful word that represented more than just ‘big’ or ‘good’. Now, I just go along with people calling me “Boy” in the streets.
TDC: You seem to use a number of different mediums, even including shoes. What is your favorite medium and why?
BK: Wood because it is living and I like how forgiving it is. I just love it and I feel it almost adds a little more life to my work.
