by Eva Brander Blackhawk

“Artists Untold is here to promote cultural appreciation, so make a purchase, spread love, be bold, and wear ArtistsUntold.“

Artists Untold was created to give black and underrepresented artists a free way to promote their art and gain an income stream. When they say free, they mean it- the company pays for “web hosting, apparel, shipping, advertising, model shoots, product testing, and more.” They also plant a tree for every purchase through One Tree’s Planted Africa initiative in order to support communities dependent on the forests the most and promote sustainable practice in the forestry and agriculture industries. They also offer sustainable fabric options. We sat down with Jordan Abdur-Raoof, the founder of the company, to talk about all things inclusive, fashionable, and sustainable. 

CUFS: What does fashion mean to you and how does your work inform your personal style?

ARTISTS UNTOLD: Fashion is an expression of self and an art form that you have complete control over. It’s an opportunity to treat yourself as a canvas and present yourself to the world in whatever way you see fit, whether you are going out on the town, to get the mail, or to the grocery store. You can look in the mirror and feel confident – whether it’s trendy and chic or comfortable and bummy. You can decide how, and if, you want to turn heads at all. There are a lot of people that are really into fashion and will wake up early for exclusive drops and pay thousands of dollars for a shirt. Personally, the “hypebeast” life isn’t for me. I ascribe more to a minimalist vibe (better for the environment) with staples that I can rotate through. I wear almost exclusively ArtistsUntold shirts when I leave the apartment so it’s a great sense of pride for me.  

CUFS: So I know you started ArtistsUntold shortly after college where you had started IvyUntold, what was your time at Cornell like and what were some of the ups and downs of attending a predominantly white institution?

ARTISTS UNTOLD: I had a great time at Cornell, I loved the school, and loved the basketball team. It’s a hard school with a lot of high achievers, but fortunately there is a more grounded & blue collar feel than most of the other Ivy league schools. We are fine poking fun at ourselves which takes the pressure off. There were a number of racially charged incidents, but it’s not different from most PWI’s and other Ivy League schools, each grounded in a history of racism and prejudice. They embraced IvyUntold and supported the mission all while understanding the importance of the messaging. Playing on the Basketball team, dealing with injuries & surgeries, school work, being a broke college student working 5 and 6 jobs at a time, IvyUntold, TAing classes, clubs, honor societies, life was busy, but it was an amazing time where I was growing and learning about myself. Most importantly, I was able to make lifelong friends and learn how to think strategically, critically, and develop skills to learn new things as fast as possible. 

CUFS: Storytelling seems to be a real passion of yours, what are some of your favorite authors and artists and why?

ARTISTS UNTOLD: I don’t have a favorite author, I read a lot of different books. Anything from Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa, LoveCraft Country by Matt Ruff, Ender’s Game, Grit, The Compound Effect, Ready Player One, the list goes on – I love the feeling of getting lost in a different reality, processing it, comparing it to my own, and learning. My favorite artists are the Artists on ArtistsUntold.Outside of those, I am a big fan of Andy Warhol, Ronald Rael, Frida Kahlo, Kehinde Wiley, Basquiat, Picasso. I am not trained in art, so I really just follow a ton of Instagram accounts that I like. I try to keep art as loose and fun as possible. I find when people start to take things too seriously you can lose the magic that you once had.

FROM ARTISTS UNTOLD

CUFS: What are you working on now and what are some ideas for the future?

ARTISTS UNTOLD: I am working on ArtistsUntold, you can check out our latest IG live for more context on future plans towards the end of the video. I am really hoping to scale the business and get two flagship stores in NYC and LA within 5 years that have apparel and an art gallery. 

CUFS: What do you think is the relationship between art, healing, and social change?

ARTISTS UNTOLD: Contemporary art is the art of the present day. It’s a reflection and representation of what is going on in society. The process of creating, distributing, and observing art allows us to better understand ourselves, our society, and today’s story. The best thing about art is that each peace can have a million different meanings and we each create our own personal understanding. Although this is not as observable in the present, when you reflect through history, you see overarching patterns in what is being created and you can label different time periods and styles that reflect the larger society, from Expressionism, Minimalism, Street Art, Surrealism, it’s all a screenshot to capture what the broader society and subsects of society are going through. Creatives are always pushing the envelope, exploring, trying new things, and learning. I would argue that creating and developing art is what humans are made to do. The ability to create with or without meaning is what makes us human. I think a lot more of society should pick up a camera, a paintbrush, download procreate or photoshop, and just sit, create, and enjoy – it’s a form of therapy and taps at what humans are meant to be. That’s why I love ArtistsUntold, I am able to sit and create all day, it’s an amazing experience.      

Celebrate black history month by supporting the brand using our referral link!  http://artistsuntold.com?afmc=3j