Breaking the Generational Curse for Black Artists with Reggie Black

The Founder's Mind

Our culture has internalized the idea that art is a career choice in which poverty is the standard. Reggie Black is an artist pushing back against this narrative using his art to call out companies that devalue artists and their work.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Reggie and Adam engage in a dialog of understanding regarding the intersection of trauma and mental health for Black people in America. Reggie also breaks down the business of art and discusses how institutions and lack of resources are the real gatekeepers preventing more artists of color from breaking through.

This interview was recorded live. To watch the interview, click here.

• [01:27] – Introducing Reggie Black
• [06:45] – The intersection of mental health and trauma for Black people
• [11:04] – The Mass Manipulation Series
• [16:39] – Time stamping human emotion
• [20:13] – Understanding the trauma of the Black experience
• [31:07] – Uncomfortable conversations and the dialog of understanding
• [33:56] – All Things Progressive, Reggie’s design firm
• [34:19] – Challenges faced by artists
• [40:25] – Dismantling the idea of the starving artist
• [44:20] – Unique challenges for Black artists
• [49:56] – Find Reggie on Instagram @iamreggieblack

Reggie Black is an international multimedia artist, designer, speaker, and Principal of All Things Progressive, a multidisciplinary design studio specializing in creative direction, identity, and branding.

A native of Washington D.C., Black has spent the last four years living and working throughout Asia. Intersecting hand type artistry, graphic design, typography, abstract paintings, travel and cultural juxtapositions; his work has been exhibited in several international exhibitions in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and domestically in D.C.

His art has evolved into graphic design commissions, environmental graphic design, identity creation, book cover design, branding, exhibition design, naming and nomenclature, creative direction, curation, product design, and documentary photography.

Black has presented talks at Apple, Advertising Week, TED, Pecha Kucha, Marble Print + Clay, and Resource Library addressing the importance of art, design, technology, mental health, transparency, vulnerability, and the human connection.

The Founder's Mind is a podcast for entrepreneurs wanting to gain insights and tactics from founders of all kinds to learn, grow, and be better equipped to navigate the inherent challenges of entrepreneurship. The podcast is hosted by Adam Mutschler, a Leadership Coach and COO at The Kedar Group.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to The Founder’s Mind in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.

This podcast episode was produced by Dante32.