Happy New Month Everyone.
I am happy to share the new edition of Freedom Soul Radio ‘Episode 72’ is up & ready to stream.
This episode is packed with soulful goodness from South Africa, Cape Verde, Brazil, USA, Cameroon, UK, India & many more spaces.
I hope you enjoy this…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
Today is a wonderful day. I am thankful to be here.
God is great…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
Wisdom gained from quiet observations of life becomes useful private lessons that lead to a calmer outlook.
Such is the beauty of living true…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
Freedom Soul Radio Episode 71 is jam packed with rowsing soulful music from USA, UK, Nigeria, Japan, Brazil, Thailand & more.
I hope you enjoy this incredible selection…🏵
FiNN
Today is a good day. I give thanks for my gifts & my blessings…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
I took this photo one morning a few years ago in Niseko. I was doing a music residency in a jazz club in Northern Japan & I got to experience something truly life changing.
During the residency week, I got to develop musical & poetic ideas that eventually became my fifth studio album: Natural Eloquence. Good experiences can often lead to good outcomes.
For me, the town of Niseko-Hirafu is beautiful, the food is amazing & the people are warm & friendly. That week changed my life, gave me a chance to breathe & see myself as I am but most important; that week taught me, I am capable of so much more. Love makes life more lovely.
I am blessed…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
The light travelled millions of miles across space, slipped through the atmosphere of a blue planet, shun through a momentarily cloudless sky over a small island in the north Atlantic, bounced off a window in a cafe in a sprawling urban metropolis, reflected off a table & hit the back of the camera to create another blissfully beautiful moment for me to appreciate…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
The age of discernment
In the age of discernment it is important to be able to quickly ascertain the true nature of communications.
It is vitally important to be able to deduce fact from hopeful function because some people do not know the difference between a hope and a plan.
Some people use the language of planning to describe their hopes. Some people speak in this manner with great conviction.
This is a common distraction in my community where ‘hope’ is presented as fact.
In order to deal with this, we listeners must apply discernment when dealing with some people. Some people may get upset when you treat their ideas as hopes. They will believe you’re not supporting their plans (even though they have no infrastructure, actual agenda or funding for what they ‘hope’ to do, not plan to do). Be diplomatic with them to avoid destroying their delusions.
Especially when some people become so drunk on ‘hope language presented as planning’ that they do not realise this is also a shortcut to failure & a complete waste of your time…🏵
FiNN
Living The Dream
When I realised the extent of the cultures I call home, it became imperative that I use my story telling skills to document our stories.
I find myself driven to capture, celebrate & curate our existence at every opportunity.
I slowly became an artist with definitive tastes, definitive techniques & definitive tendencies.
This is how my artistry began. Looking back I realise the life I now live was once just a dream I had & longed for.
I don’t know how I got here but I do know that I am blessed…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
Take your time. You will succeed. Patience is it’s own form of progress…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
You did an amazing job to make it this far. Well done.
Survival is victory…🏵
FiNN
Elegance is the uncommon ability to refine your outlook in such a way; others can see the real you…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
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 on 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 know future generations may be curious & should be given the option to learn how we are now (authentically) & 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 our story 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.
For me, 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 have named myself HKB FiNN & I am an African from the caribbean currently living in London, UK…🏵
Made by HKB FiNN
Life is Beautiful
Making work is so important to the artistic spirit. Making work connects the artist with our true selves.
I have been working on my current project for a while now & it has been a constant source of deep joys for me. It has kept me grounded.
Many aspects of creating a piece of work can be daunting, trying, arduous but it is also uplifting, inspirational & has been giving me ‘a strong sense of purpose’ this entire time.
So whatever work you are doing, just keep going because making work, makes life beautiful…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
No one returns to nothing.
Everybody returns to something, so when people actively disrespect, disregard or dishonour you, do not despair. Keep your dignity intact & stay on track because your path is blessed.
For as sure as a new day will come, so shall those who rejected, abandoned & ignored you, will return to you. Compelled by the very arrogance that once drove them away.
They who once treated you as if you were nothing. They who once disregarded you as nothing. Those who once maligned you as if you are nothing.
They always return. Just like a dog returns to his own vomit as a meal, so shall the arrogant return to their own deeds & be compelled to eat their former putrid essence as penance. They will return.
Remember; no one returns to nothing so if they return (& they always do), be mindful of their previous treachery. See their true nature & learn. Many of them return to check if you are still stupid enough to let them pollute your life. Don’t.
Just because you practice love for all, this does not mean allowing vipers to get close to you again. Just stay on your path & nurture your blessings instead.
Leave those fools to their behaviours, forgive but do not forget & always keep moving forward in your pursuits. Your path is of one who is blessed…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN
The day I caught the train
Today was a beautiful day. I caught the train, hung out with my friend, had laughs, ate dope food, spoke about future projects & celebrated being one with the moment.
I give thanks for opportunities like these where one is celebrated not tolerated. I enjoy times like these where the most important friendships are the ones fuelled by mutual respect & the pursuit of excellence.
Today was devoid of bitterness, drama & disdain. Today was such an inherently beautiful day; that I remain grateful to have experienced it so vividly…🏵
Created by HKB FiNN