Daily Inspiration: Meet Kevin Hopkins

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Hopkins.

Hi Kevin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been placed where I am today by my mother’s hands. She was there for every step I took to develop my artistic practice. One of the most memorable experiences I shared with her was when she drove me to Atlanta to participate in a group show facilitated by Artpocalypse Atlanta–just her and I. On the road, I challenged her to a rap battle only to realize she’s a lyrical beast [her flow was crazy too], and during the first stop, I stood behind her as she played a gas station casino game to win some money for snacks and toiletries.

She took me shopping too–her son “had to look fresh for his show.” At the venue, not many people were interested in my work, but she stood there in front of my 5-foot wall space, and she looked so proud. When I turned eighteen, I was accepted into the Kansas City Art Institute, intending to major in painting. The only obstacle was transportation; it was a sixteen-hour drive from Beaufort, South Carolina, to Kansas City. She didn’t care.

She and my grandmother drove me there in only a day or two without hesitation. I didn’t know how to drive then, so I just sat in the back seat admiring my mom. She had lupus and was on dialysis [she attended dialysis twice a week to live], and she still had the strength to bring me to the Midwest from our small town. In my time at KCAI, I have been recognized nationally as an AXA Art prize finalist internationally as a 2020 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grantee–all because my mother risked her everything to help her son succeed. I modeled my work ethic after Beverly Hopkins–after mom.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In late 2020, my family mourned the passing of several cherished elders–including my mother. It has spurred my interest in consciousness, naivete, and the romanticization of childhood [concerning familial relationships].

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
There isn’t much separating my artwork from others; the only difference is my individual experience injected into the concept.

In its most current form, my work contorts the romanticization of childhood into an exploration of mortality [maybe in acceptance of the human body’s frailty?]. Materially, I find myself working with mediums that have sentimental significance: blankets, sheets, curtains, family photos, drywall, duct tape. “Do I paint a canvas as “innocently” as we would paint a childhood blanket? How should I paint my loved ones? How can a painting’s surface approach one of these methods of representation and contextualize the image [in terms of location, narratively or otherwise]? Immaterially, I am drawing from childhood memories, dreams, and recollections of youth from kin, piecing the accounts together and creating imagined spaces for them to occupy.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Take nothing for granted.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @beebro_irl
• Twitter: @beebro_irl