The Urban Contemporary: A Conversation with Fine Artist Christopher Batten ~ CULTURED ARTISTS

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Detroit, or The D, as the locals call it, has a reputation that precedes it. The city has had its share of negative occurrences that helped to perpetuate many stereotypes, but Detroit, like many American cities, is not one-dimensional. It is evolving, rising from the ashes like a phoenix, and outsiders are beginning to take notice. There is a growing art scene in Detroit—one that is elevated radically by the immense talent of the artists that the city has birthed. Within that community you will find artists that are pushing creative boundaries, and bringing verve and vitality to the once desolate urban landscape.

One of the amazing emerging talents making moves in the city of Detroit, while also developing a national following, is Christopher Batten. Batten, a native of Detroit, grew up with love and support amidst the violence that plagued the city. Batten drew some of his inspirations from the city, but it was his family that guided him creatively early on. Most of his family members were artistically inclined, so when at age 4 he decided that he wanted to draw, they saw fit to provide him with the means to do so. At a young age he was fascinated with the arts, and he learned to see art in everything.

Academic Work- Image courtesy of the artist

One of his greatest artistic inspirations came from his father, a martial artist. As a young child he was able to recognize creative movements when his father practiced, and it was those movements that inspired him to create art that appeared to move. Additionally, his father, (who was an artist himself) would challenge Batten, by encouraging him to copy his drawings. His mother would buy him newsprint sketchbooks and he spent his days filling the books from cover to cover. These early creative lessons helped to solidify his love for art, and with the support of his mother and father, he was able to determine from a young age that art was his passion.

Academic work- image courtesy of the artist

As a teenager he attended Cass Technical High School. The school, which was, and still is, a nationally recognized college preparatory school, offered students options for majors—similar to a university. Batten chose Commercial Art as his major, and spent the next four years in a highly competitive, but creatively fulfilling environment. His studies at Cass prepared him for college, and his talents gave him options to study at several reputable universities. Upon graduation, he received a scholarship to study at the Columbus College of Art and Design where he embarked on a challenging curriculum. He would eventually take a year off of school, and finish his education at the College for Creative Studies in his hometown of Detroit.

Sketch of My Mother/ Colored Pencil on Paper/ 8"x10"/ circa 2008

Art Tatum Sketch/ Graphite on Paper/ 8"x10"/ circa 2005

Batten felt that finishing his studies in his hometown, and developing relationships with students there, made him appreciate his city even more. He says that the College for Creative Studies provided him with the opportunity to see how other students from around the world valued Detroit. He began to see the city in a different light, and the people of Detroit began to inspire him.“The city is filled with resilient people, who despite the failures of the city, found a way to survive, work, and have fun.”

Self Portrait as Marat (copy of Death of Marat by Jacques Louis David (academic work))/ Oil on Illustration Board/ 18"x24"/ circa 2004

For many years Batten found himself drawn to illustration. Early on, he found that he appreciated its narrative capabilities, but as he progressed through art school, he began to see that many of the stories that he wanted to tell could be told through fine art as well. His transition from illustration to fine art came when he was still in art school because it was then that he began looking for more than a, “layman expression of the world around him.”

He graduated from the College for Creative Studies in 2006 with honors, and soon after graduation he found opportunities for exhibiting his work around the city. He began his professional career in 2008. Batten says of his choice to pursue art professionally, “Images affect us more than they ever have in recorded history…art imitates life, but now life is imitating art. I wanted to use art as a way to build consciousness in the world.” Batten says that he values the power of being able to create art, and wants to use his art to, “Spread positive messages.”

Tribute to Miles
Mixed Media on Illustration Board 19"x24"
© 2006

Tribute to Monk
Mixed Media on Illustration Board 9"x12"

His early works were based solely on exploring jazz music. His love for jazz came early, when at age of 7 his mother exposed him to the music. He vividly remembers the song called, Slip Away, by the Pat Metheny Group playing on the radio. Batten says that song, and Metheny’s album, Letter from Home, was unlike anything that he had ever heard. He says that his introduction to jazz music was backwards since he started listening to fusion jazz when he was a child, and by his teenage years he had found the music of Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Wes Montgomery.

Joyful, Joyful
Mixed Media on Canvas/ 16"x20"
© 2011

Despite his appreciation for many of the great jazz musicians, it was the work of Metheny that impacted him the most. He says that Metheny implements many unorthodox elements into his pieces, and creates a style of jazz all his own. Batten feels that jazz as a whole can be very improvisational, thus he attempts to mimic that aspect of the music in his work—without sacrificing the basic structure of the painting. He says that the music reminds him to stay liberal and to continue to improvise—turning mistakes into art. Also inspired by painters like Diego Velazquez, and the Impressionists; Batten chose to create his early jazz pieces as he says, “… in a style that lends itself to who they were as musicians.”

Who's Beautiful Now?!
Mixed Media on Canvas, 36"x48"
© 2011

Southern Living
Acrylic on Illustration Board,19"x24"
© 2006

A lover of portraiture, Batten’s recent works focus on recording his family and friends. He uses a lot of symbolism in his current work—thought bubbles, puzzles, fish, etc.—, which he feels adds a deeper narrative and creates a more layered portrait. He also explores more exaggerated color in his new works. Batten says that he views the world through a prism, of sorts, and through his paintings he wants to allow the viewers eye to blend the colors together to create a complete image. Additionally, he recently began series that feature koi fish. He had always admired the fish in his grandmother's pond, but upon learning more about their strength and resilience, he decided to paint them.

One of his greatest fears as an artist is the struggle that comes from pursuing art. While Batten paints for more reflective reasons, he feels that many artists, who paint for the passion alone, never get a chance to excel. “I fear that there may never be a shift where people who do it solely for passion are given the accolades that they deserve.” In addition, he also feels limited by the term, black artist. He feels that the term marginalizes black people, and although he doesn’t mind the title, he too is offended by the stereotypes that sometimes come with it.

Batten says (of the art market, and collectors) that it’s important to broaden their scope of collecting. He feels that as an emerging artist, his work gets overlooked because there is a “roster of collectable black artists.” He feels that we need a creative revolution, where artist’s works are being collected based on the quality of their work, and their potential for growth, as opposed to their name. As an emerging artist, Batten says that he has a profound reason for creating, and hopes to make greater impact with his art. He feels driven spiritually to create, and deems art is his one true purpose.

Batten’s pieces are indeed the works of a master in the making; his use of color, composition, form and movement are awe-inspiring. Please support this artist by visiting his website at www.cbatten.com, or follow him on Facebook.

He leaves poignant words for young artists:

“Continue to create. Don’t get discouraged when people tell you that you can’t go anywhere. Show your work. Focus on continuing to create, and things will happen.”

- Christopher Batten