Sharing Ideas

Mastering My Method


My art practice is driven by my need to tell stories. Particularly, the story of us.


By us I mean people of African descent living at home across the African continent or anywhere in the African diaspora. I am compelled by the idea of telling our stories authentically.


Since the 1980’s, I have used sounds, words, still & moving images to tell & retell stories about how we navigate this reality at this time.


I hope one day people from other parts of our world or those from future generations may be curious about us in this time & should be given the option to learn how we are (authentically) now & not how we’re portrayed from other perspectives.


I currently do not succumb to the mainstream narratives about us because that angle is covered.


I currently do not work inside preconditioned notions of being better than others or worse than others, for that too is covered.


I like to tell stories of how I see our beauty, our elegance, our loves, our abilities & our fears.


In my stories, I believe our collective bodies holds & carries the memories of all our ancestors & that ‘we’ are a bridge between the past & the future.


As an artist, I work as if the cultural landscape in which I find our people, allows our bodies to transmit the telling of their own stories through our faces, our body shapes, our complexions, our spiritualities, our sexualities & sometimes even through our inherent or learnt behaviours.


As an artist, I use my storytelling techniques to share a simple narrative that we are people. I make art that creates a space for something wonderful to unfold no matter the rigours of the scenario. I love uncovering our amazing tales.


The outcomes of my various narratives will be found in my poems, my songs, my movies, my still photographs & in my other written expressions.


I admit, these ideas of mine or my practices are not scientific. I do not see or present them as a form of absolutism.


My expressions are my way of exploring my perspective & sharing my take on the story of ‘us’ as a part of my art practice.


Some people will choose to see my art practice as a rejection of other cultural comforts or norms or a disassociation from more maimstream perspectives but that is not how I see my works.


I believe ultimately, our ability to love is our greatest strength & that simple skill to empathise, care & sometimes protect each other is how we survive the trials of living no matter where we dwell (at home or in the diaspora).


My art practice is orientated around celebrating that & upholding the traditions of love, resistance & persistence. This is my art methodology, no more, no less.


I am HKB FiNN.


I am an African from the Caribbean currently living in south London, UK…🏵