Art by Franklin Sinanan

The Art Habit
Artist Franklin Sinanan Mixes Media with Messages

By Angie Hargot

It’s a short walk to the back of Art Center South Florida studio No. 205.

Artist Franklin Sinanan has packed the space to the rafters with his mixed media painting and sculptures. But not many who wander past his window will complain. In fact, their eyes grow wide at the work: infinitely compelling assemblies of acrylics and graffiti, stenciling and found materials. Sketches are layered on oils on crayon. Mediums are chosen for the amount of abuse they can take. There is community in sadness, and addiction is a religion. Color and shadow polish plywood, and symbols meet realism.

His space, like his work, is a complex ecosystem of ideas — all spontaneously arrived at.

Sinanan doesn’t start his work with a sketchbook, opting instead for a trance-like process of construction.
The artist also doesn’t title his creations, asserting that if he names the paintings, the viewer will assign meaning to the titles.

Sinanan grew up in Canada but spent the summers on his native island of Trinidad, influences that have stayed with him. He has shown in a broad spectrum of forums, and his work is currently represented by Elder Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina and by Birchwood Gallery in Yellowknife, Canada.

This month Sinanan will take part in “Splinter/Fuse” an Art Center group show for 3-year artists-in-residency. For the exhibition, he has reclaimed 20 wood pencil boxes on which to surface the faces of unreal people. Vastly different from one another, the ‘portraits’ share a common focus on eyes and lips. They do not, however, tell a story.

How did it all begin?
I was always an artist. Born one. It provides an outlet for me to express myself. My influences are from everyday life, cultures, traditions, and the sacrifices one makes to survive day in and day out.

Your work is based on the idea of “life under construction.”
Through the use of mixed media, my intention is to expose the many layers — the good/bad and the addictions/emotions of society. My art, to me, is an investigation of everything that can put a life on hold: the struggle to survive, abuse, alcohol, drugs, relationships, religion, and social traps.
Abuse can be directed toward another or yourself. In my work there is sadness… everyone experiences some form of abuse.

Survival to me is being able to keep my dream alive — to paint everyday. Some artists paint for money, I paint to feed my soul. It is not about selling, it is about simply doing the work. To further illustrate: last week I saw a homeless person on my way to my studio. He took a plate of food out of a garbage can and, with the same used fork left in the food, started to eat some of the leftovers. He then left the plate on the ground and walked away. Another homeless person came by not much later, and picked up and ate all that remained. He finished it off using the same fork. Now that is survival.

Drugs and addictions go hand-in-hand. We are addicted to love and pain, even if we are blind to it in many forms of relationships. Some are addicted to body weight/image/plastic surgery/sleeping pills/alcohol/work.
Social traps can encompass the role that religion plays. If swallowed, call your nearest physician because it is harmful to your health. All religions have shed blood throughout history. Hindus versus Muslims, Catholic versus Protestants. Wealth used to create power and steal yet more land from the poor. In some countries, [television] broadcasts are not permitted to offer opinions or shows that portray anything contrary to the popular culture — the masses are herded into believing what the mainstream press says. 

Religion also can dictate how to behave. For example, my family is a mix of Hindus, Christians, and Muslims. When we gather together for a barbeque, beef must be cooked on a different grill than the pork — no hotdogs and hamburgers together on the same plate. And my Christian relatives now won’t drink alcohol (even though they did so before) as per church directive.

What has been the reception to your work?
People have said my recent work has lots of energy about it. Some think I am a witch doctor, into Santeria, Chango, Voodoo, and a lot think it is Haitian work. But I don’t follow any of that. Since I have been in Miami my work has taken on African and Caribbean themes, and this seems to come out naturally on the canvas without any premeditation or sketchbooks. 

What is the most flattering comment you’ve ever received about your work?
“You must take a lot of drugs.”

The most insulting?
“That guy is loco.”

How has the art market been for you?
It has been painfully slow here. … peanut butter and jelly sandwiches these days are breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What’s next?
Who knows what will come from the brush? My hands give birth to new life everyday. 

“Splinter/Fuse,” opens Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Art Center / South Florida, Main Gallery, 800 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach.
See more of Sinanan’s work at franklinsinanan.com, and at the Lincoln Road Art Walk on Oct. 3.

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