Radio Miraya
2682: Sketch Artist Deng Forbez: Capturing the Essence of Modernity with a Touch of Whimsy
Welcome to the Nations Big Conversations today. We have got a creator who sketches outside the lines of convention his pencil moves with the rhythm of a maverick and his vision is as daring as it is distinct and his work Well, it speaks volumes without even uttering a single word Well, this is the artist who captures the essence of modernity or the touch of whimsy and a stroke of genius Now I'm thrilled to introduce the man who's redefining art as we know it the elastrous Dang Forbes is with me here in the studio dang Forbes. Good morning, and thank you so much for Making time to speak to us here on regime, right? Thank you for having me I think this is our second time together here. Yes, it is our second time But this time you're coming in in a capacity of that artist on social media the almost famous artists Yeah So tell me tell me about yourself. I mean, who is dang Forbes? Dang Forbes is just a regular artist Equally a journalist like you And a very passionate person about community society and you know peace Yeah, and creativity right. I love creativity. Right. Right. It's been about creativity I mean nobody can dispute that So we just want to know I mean you are so many hurts. Yeah, you are a journalist. You're an artist You're an activist also Just tell us how does your typical day look like a typical day is just you know wake up in the morning freshen up just like any other person exactly and then I Either grab a pencil and do an artwork or I just go out and do my daily Struggle like no more citizen So instead of doing what we typically do wake up and get our phones and see who commented on our facebook pages You just wake up and grab a pencil to sketch. Yeah, okay. I sometimes just wake up and Start creating on a canvas do a clear card Yeah, so it depends on the mood that day and unless I have A commitment outside. Okay, but most of the time I just you know sit around and do my artworks Right. Yeah, and and before you you you got famous Drawing caricature and change it. Okay. I want to say deforming people But anyway, it's also another lens that you look at. Yeah, so um, do you did you have like a specialty? uh, not really um, I think I spent the past um 10 years of my Art career trying to figure out, you know, what is that niche? You understand? What is that thing that you know, uh, defines my art? But then again, I'm very versatile So I try to not restrict myself and like be like, okay I just want to be a landscape artist or a portrait artist so um in the midst of me trying to discover myself and I ended up, you know discovering what other people actually like and um Yeah, it's giving me the the the exposure that I actually needed right because um with art You you only make sales you only get recognition and make money out of it when you've been recognized by in a lot of people So many people yeah, so the more famous the more popular you are the The more pricey your artworks get and the more opportunities that it almost feels like an endorsement Exactly, right. Yeah, okay. So, um, would would you say because people prefer now this kind of art Are you going to settle with that because it's what is famous right now? No I'm not going to settle with that. Okay. Um, I'm still going to you know improve on the craft Because I'm trying to see other perspectives on how to like, you know, develop it even more to the point that A person who is drawn will be comfortable with hanging that artwork in their in their own, right? So instead of doing the usual, you know realistic art like, you know, draw somebody as if it's taken by a photograph It's better, you know, you see yourself in a different form, right? So imagine people walking into your room into your city room and they see your artwork there and They look at it and they're like wait. This looks like you. Yeah. Yeah in a way in a way. Yeah, but then It's not like the real one. Well, this is you You know, like so before this city you're looking at you and be like, wait What happened, you know, like your nose is bigger your eyes have been made in a funny way, but It shows that it's you but I want to confess mine does not look like Your eyes look like you I want to ask why did you give me those two teeth? Like and I don't even have rabbit teeth in real life. Yeah, I just I just wanted to examine your teeth because I saw the teeth I'm like Anyway, so then let's agree that your art has taken not just south Sudan But the whole world like we see comments coming in from in africa outside africa So what's the message that you aim to convey through your work? Well, um, personally, it's more Comedy make people laugh, you know, despite a difficult day, you know, you You must find something to laugh about Don't go on social media and it's just the regular thing every day People fighting about going bad news, but you can actually go to my urgency who has been drawn in a funny way You could find yourself there And I think you have achieved it. I mean We are allowed speak for south Sudan. We are a traumatized country We are experiencing economic challenges conflict, but a lot of things are going on in our lives Even in our private lives and trust me coming to your page or just waking up one morning and finding that your face your face has been drawn crookedly Instead of being angry trust me. It is just hilarious. Yeah, so your style is incredibly distinctive So can you just tell us about the influence that has shaped your creative journey? well, um Because you know the thing is you know when when you're when you're drawn towards creativity often You you you think a lot about how to improve your craft And um, I've been doing this for quite some time, right? And um, I've always thought to myself What what what are the unique things should I do because I I have friends who are artists And uh, we do the usual thing obviously everybody draws which one is the usual thing I mean drain the human way is drawing trust me It's not for everyone. It's just for the chosen few the you people. Yeah, that's why you think it's it's a regular thing. It's not yeah yeah, I know and um I appreciate we need that and I do that. You know, I'm good at uh landscape, you know, and uh Um, abstract art and stuff like that. It's it's fine But then again as an artist you want to stand up, right? And uh, and this is what has made me stand up. I'm not the first person to do it Right, right there are people who have done it before but then again to what extent have you done it? Yeah, like what what what have you you know, how how have you approached it and personally? I my target was the famous people which of course as you know, um Open doors. Yeah, because like, you know There's so many fans out there when you see your famous person drawn in a funny way, of course You want to love? You want to share? You want to, you know, download it? Yeah, so it gets the artist Known and I've seen people, you know stealing my work and claiming it and it stands. Yeah, they claim it's theirs I've seen so many people but you're not your work. So they just yeah, they just Watch it or they will do with it. They would then they claim it with your signature Okay So I like given this morning. I saw some Kenyan guy claiming my work and I mean, he didn't get much, you know, reaction, but yeah, because I think I know people know that it belongs to you Yeah, right So you've become a sensational on multiple media platforms. So how do you manage to stay authentic? In an ever-changing digital landscape. I mean just be yourself Right the main the main thing here is be yourself. Don't try to be someone else. Mm-hmm. And uh, that's That's what people will like. That's right. The you you not the you that is somebody else Which one is that now? Yeah, like This is the real you now who is you and then there is the the persona that you know, you give people that is not you It's okay to, you know, fuck a different personality a different image of yourself Right when it's applicable when it's required But then again when when you want to create an image for yourself, let it be the real you Yeah, okay, so I have so many messages coming in here people encouraging you There's one here gift rig and saying my regards. I love him. Keep it up Doing a very good job and another one here is saying that well dang folks don't stop On what you're doing. This is yeah, sure he makes a smile each day no matter what we love him This is my my my koi dong real. Okay, so thank you guys for loving dang for it's hard for someone to say I hate dang folks They just love your work. Yeah, so Your penetration on the internet has encouraged more talents Yeah As just as yours and and how can we positively use such talents to foster peace and nation building most especially for our context? You know most of the time I tend to not think about your Peace and art and like, you know, I try to There's a moment where you know peace and art go hanging on and then there's a moment where I like listen That's just how fun right now. It's toxic out there. It's care take it's violent But can we just put a smile on our faces and as long as you smile and there is peace within yourself Right, so if if you go to my wall you let's say you had a very rough day And you see a very funny artwork and you love You've installed yeah, you've installed peace in yourself. Yeah, and um That's the essence sometimes so I tend to not like you know, like the main purpose for this Journey is to put smiles on people's right faces. Of course. They are those who will be upset. Don't you have a tick for like 100% yeah Are there people who get upset? Why would they um have they reached out to you? No, no, no one has reached out to me And uh, I've always seen people commenting but I know it's just banter. Right and this is where Your sense of humor comes in as an artist because if you create content, there's going to be backlash There's going to be those that just want to you know, you know put in threads I remember there were some guys who would be very disrespectful and uh, say, you know use vulgar words This is Facebook was that happening in in in the on the first in the first times. Yeah, you just began Yeah, okay, and I ended up blocking them like yeah, I do need that energy I'm like, no, you're not going to come here and I mean this content is definitely not meant for you Right, and that's how social media works. Yes, there's content. That's not meant for you There's content for other people. So keep it moving. It's not for you. Just If it doesn't work for you, just go, right? Don't stay here. Exactly. And don't follow me and then come tell me what to post Exactly And this is what people actually do not understand on social media Well, like you said, if it doesn't work for you, you have the free will to move on But yes, uh, if you knew then What you know now, what would you have done differently? Um, I think I would have started this thing a long time ago. I knew it I would have started this thing locked ever. Right. Yeah, but I started art on an emotional Path, okay, and I used it as a way to cope with myself because um As people say, I'm an introvert And I keep to myself most of the time. So my university life. I spent it I learned like, you know, no friends. Yeah, I tried to make friends and Once you disappoint me once, uh, it's game over like I've done with you Yeah, so I had friends and then they disappointed me You know, they did something that I didn't like and I cut them off So I spent the rest of my diversity like just go to school come back Keeping to yourself. Yeah, and your artwork. Yeah, and I Art kept me busy music also. I love music a lot like you never find me with our music Right listening or singing listening. Okay. I thought you're an artist too that you sing No, I I wish I did okay. I wish I did. Mm-hmm. Yeah, right. I spent most of my time listening to music and Of course drawing painting and writing. I do poetry. So yeah, I know that Right. So, um, so let's uh, like how do you how how like how do you get your subjects? Do you just follow people on social media and just say, um, you're my next victim? Yeah Is that what you do? Yeah, I see I see an I see a photo and Definitely my caricature brain just goes in like yo, have you seen that head? Yo, have you seen those lips? Yo, have you seen that nose? Right. You could do something. Right. It would be hilarious Funny, so I just I just downloaded and people like it like right and Kenyans are happy about the same simple boy guy Like who is he? They say they love you because you did that for them. Yeah, Steve. Oh, he's a very funny kid. Yeah, he's uh, he's I think he's an artist Yeah, and um, yeah, he's a very funny artist. Okay, and then there is uh, this are like major Major posted my uh my artwork. Right. So you return the favor No, I I drew him. Uh-huh and then he posted it. It's like yo guys stop drawing me by now Oh, yeah, I remember that one. Yeah. Yes. Okay. So, uh, where do you see yourself in let's say the next five years? I mean the the next five years. I want to inspire as many young people as possible, right? And um, I want I want young people to You know realize they're talent and I hope in the next five years, we'll have an art gallery Next five years in the next five years. I hope filled with caricature or all sorts all sorts of artworks. Okay anything that interests people and um, I I have studied um, like a small company and still uh, it's still in the prototype, right? And um It's called the art life studios. Mm-hmm. So I'm hoping to kind of like recruit Young artists and give them a platform where they can you know, right? Yeah, express and monetize their artworks and earn from it. Right. The the point is to, you know Make them benefit from their creativity. Right. And from their talent. Yeah. Yeah, okay So that's what I'm planning with. This is a project that I've already started working on I hope by the end of the year it will materialize and it will be effective. That's a good plan I have someone here on facebook saying can you draw irean lasso better than what you did last time better? Would there be a better? He's saying better I don't know what he means. This is a bakich hasan My young malite he wants you to draw me better I think the only problem there was my teeth, but the first were my exaggerated parts like that's how I would have looked like if my parts were exaggerated so I had a chance to ask people on facebook to Post some questions that if they have any questions for you. So one person. This is look alir He says what is the motive behind your drawings? I think it's the cartoon nature. Not the other ones. Yeah, so what is your motivation? By motivation is Comedy motivation. What is your motive? Why do you do it? Make people laugh Okay, simple as that. Yeah, so he's here to cater to your laughter. Okay. I think he has done a good job On that and this is a vich hakecho Arop Don't be says send my love to him. Thank you for drawing stevo simple boy And wanted joseph is like is this just for pure jocks or a side hustle? It wouldn't be nice to have a side hustle. Yeah, I don't get paid for the caricatures But I get paid for my actual artworks. Okay, real one. So Yeah, but maybe in charlotte one day I'll turn it into you know into a side hustle Right, right and actually facebook does pay, but it's unfortunate that it does not pay for South Sudan south Sudan is not an eligible country, but maybe if it were you would be making your own your money. Yeah, by now Okay All right, so someone is saying I think he should also draw kids cartoons for african kids Do we have like famous african kids? I don't even know what exactly he means. No, I think he means like create content for children Yeah, and it's it's a work in progress. If I don't do it. I have someone else. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's going to come Okay. All right. So someone is saying have I have been waiting to see your face To to see the face of this funny guy. Thank you for bringing him on board. Well, thank you so much for following team. Was in Korea and He said please don't draw him. All right. So thank you so much for doing forms for this time What is your message to the youth who are listening and they're definitely listening Well, um, the main the main thing is be creative Invest in your talent and don't be boring. Oh, okay. Yeah, I know don't be boring And before I go someone here is saying how do you feel like when people react to? How do you feel when people? react to their drawings now like how people repost it? Yeah, yeah, how what do you get a sense of fulfillment? Yeah, definitely I feel happy and I feel like I've been understood And you know it's there's no there's no going to be any conflict, you know, right between me and the Subject so it makes me happy when people repost the work Yeah, okay. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for making our time to speak to us Some people are worried the what the warning you know to come to the studio thinking it was a trap that I am going to arrest you But I want to make it clear that you and I are on good terms They don't know we'll go all the way back to 26 All the way back and we know ourselves Personally, well, thank you so much. Thank Forbes. Thank you. Thank you so much for following on already Mariah This is where the nation's big conversations begin every morning It's been a pleasure speaking understanding and knowing down down Forbes