illakanbi.com

Taking a NAP at UMDNJ

akanbi — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 19:08:23 +0000

THE NATIONAL ARTS PROGRAM

University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey

********************************

On exhibit from January 14 – April 24, 2013 at New Jersey Medical School are samples of the artistic and creative talents of our employees and members of their families. The exhibit is located in the Medical Science Building throughout the B level.

You are invited to a meet the artists at The 2nd Annual Exhibit & Awards Reception on:

Thursday, February 21, 2013

4:00-6:00 p.m.

Medical Science Building – B-Level

I recently got into a show at the UMDNJ, I got two pieces in! Hopefully the med students can take out their busy schedule to appreciate some good work.

Glitter on Philly

akanbi — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 19:35:23 +0000

My homegirl Juliet is a photographer, and a rascal. She’s modeling some shirts I printed.

The Hitman

akanbi — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 22:55:02 +0000

This is a revisited piece I did awhile back. Bret Hart was easily one of my favorites back in the day. He was serious as hell and made a man rocking pink look crazy cool way before Cam’Ron!

The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be

I Have a Terrible Drem I Can’t Remember…

akanbi — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 22:10:25 +0000

A really good friend of mine, Seth Gaffney, passed away unexpectedly about 3 years ago now. At the time, I didn’t cry, I just lost all energy and ambition. I began having trouble sleeping. I eventually came to terms with it, and did this painting. The painting is 26×36 or bigger, I gave it to his parents who were instrumental in making the whole ordeal easier, and made me realize me and Seth were a lot closer than I had originally thought. Ever since then, I have been as honest as I can to people, and tell them the truth about how I feel about/for them, because you never know if your words will bring them up and closer to you or away from the edge.

Even though you’re not here, I’ll call upon your soul as Hercules called upon Iolaus. Miss you brother

Dream While You’re Awake

akanbi — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:30:31 +0000

My homegirl Chach is an amazing photographer hailing from the city of Lost Angels. She always has been a big support and fan of my work, and I find her work dazzling and inspiring. Working with her is a ball. So I decided to illustrate her mangled mane.I like the finish so much, I decide to turn it into a skateboard. Of course she loved it!

Women of the North

akanbi — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:49:38 +0000

The Norse are some of the most notorious and frozen of European peoples. They were known to be vicious, but also had a complex faith and customs. Women played many important roles in Viking life, even including battle. Some acted as priestesses and prophetesses, known as the volva. The faith died due to the invasion of Christianity and co-opting and vilifying of some deities and holidays, and the slow neglect of the spirit of their native lands.

I did these pieces for my senior thesis in Spring of 2011.

Frigga-
“Of me the gods are sprung;
And all that is to come I know, but lock
In my own breast, and have to none reveal’d.”
Balder Dead (Matthew Arnold)
Mother of the gods, wife to Odin, Goddess of the atmosphere, and foreseer of the future. At her sides are her most loyal handmaidens, Fulla, her sister and confidant, and Hlin, goddess of consolation, whom she sends to kiss away the tears of mourners. They stand on the bridge Bifrost, leading to the most holy place, Asgard.

Laevatein is there
That lopt with runes
Once made by the Doors of Death
In Laegjarn’s chest
By Sinmora lies it,
And nine locks fasten it firm

Balder Dead (Matthew Arnold)

Mistress of the fire giant Surtur, who guards the mystical weapon Laevatein in the realm of Muspellheim, home of eternal fire.

Freya-
“Folkvang ’tis called,
Where Freyja has right
To dispose of the hall-seats.
Every day of the slain
She chooses the half,
And leaves half to Odin.”
Norse Mythology (R. B. Anderson).
Goddess of beauty, love and war, screams of anguish, and blood. From the realm Vanaheim, home of the Aesir. She is Queen of the Valkrys, by the name Valfreya. With them she rides to the battlefield to choose half of the slain heroes and bring them to her realm Folkvang, a gift from the gods for teaching them magic.She encouraged maidens and wives of pure faith to join their husbands in battle in hopes of joining the same fate as their husbands, making Northern women some of the most feared and loyal. Witches find their origins in worshippers of Freya, who was often depicted with cats.

Modgud-

“The bridge of glass hung on a hair
Thrown o’er the river terrible,—
The Giöll, boundary of Hel.
Now here the maiden Mödgud stood,
Waiting to take the toll of blood,—
A maiden horrible to sight,
Fleshless, with shroud and pall bedight.”
Valhalla (J. C. Jones).
In the frozen realm of Niflheim, at the root of the tree of life Yggdrasil, land of the dead, stands at the crystal bridge the ice giantess Modgud, usually depicted as giant skeleton, waiting to collect a toll of blood from every spirit who passes. She stands in the Gioll, the river of ice and knives.She is a servant of the goddess Hel, Queen of the Dead. Spirits come in on horses and wagons burned on the funeral pyre. To even get to the realm is a long and hard frigid journey.

Underground Magic

akanbi — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 22:25:35 +0000

Drew this inspired by my freezing home and old school underground rap music. Underground Magic is where I get my strength from.

Chun Li of Photography

akanbi — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 22:24:08 +0000

Me and my homegirl Amy Li had ourselves a small reunion of sorts last winter. We grabbed some Korean cuisine, chased it down with Japanese beer, and reminisced about our Philly fanaticism. She’s doing OK for herself right about now, having an assistant and all with her amazing photo work. I think we’re over due for an epic photo mission.

Bentley

akanbi — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 07:02:26 +0000

I did this poster for my comrade’s senior voice recital. He let me do what I felt like. His only request was to “make it sick.” I was inspired by the approaching warm weather, and by classic Bentley automobiles. He loved it the second he saw it, and got printed it the second I finished it. Many of his instructors told him how much they liked the poster. Quite a few of the posters even got jacked well before the day of the recital. He was real happy about how positive the reaction was, he almost had a packed house.

All this and Brains too

akanbi — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 06:29:34 +0000

Vicki Vale is as stunning as she is intelligent. On a few occasions she even deduced the identity of the Dynamic Duo, but they somehow always cast doubt on her findings. She is one of the best investigative journalists in Gotham, as well as a stylish kleptomaniac. Just peep the Nike Batboots she lifted from the Batcave! I was definetly inspired by the boots Nike made for Michael Keton so he wouldn’t be so short standing next to Kim Bassinger!