Stephen Black has been making “stuff” for as long as he can remember. This Tiny Gallery installation is a rarity though, as he almost never shows his work publicly. Stephen, born 1953, attended the Cleveland Institute of Art, then moved to New York City where he received a BFA in 1980 from the School of Visual Arts. Throughout the 1980s, he showed his wall constructions at various New York galleries. In 1987 he received a New York Foundation for the Arts award for sculpture. As part of the award program, he taught a screen-printing class to area tribal artists at the Native American Museum, then located in Harlem. He has long been drawn to cultural artifacts, seeing in them the mystery of existence, sacred and profane.

    His love of printmaking led to a life working in a variety of commercial arts, but all the while, during his optional hours, the steady constant was the things he created.

Artist statement

“I’ve thought of myself as an artist since I was six years of age, having this epiphany after the praise of a kindergarten teacher about my drawing of a tulip. I prefer not to make pictures of things these days but make the thing itself. I keep to simple machines, tools or odd shapes and let time and natural forces, like erosion and decay, have their effect on what I make.

I imagine these things as artifacts of some unnamed culture, past or future. I rarely know where these ideas come from. Some I simply make up and pretend it’s a real thing with physical qualities or functions; some develop their own life through the process of working. I usually offer a title or number and the size, weight, materials, and the approximate date of completion. But generally, I prefer saying as little as possible. I hope that what I’ve given the viewer is enough for them to have their own response.

I’ve gotten to know so many great artists over the years. For instance, my mother and my brother. So, it’s just breathing, you know? Maybe a cliché, but no less accurate.”

Tiny Gallery Q&A

Just for fun, Tiny Gallery asked Stephen to answer a few questions from Vogue’s 73 Questions, a favorite Q&A that always entertains. His responses are below:

Where is your favorite place to be? Here, now

Where do you get inspiration from? My ignorance

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? Nothing should be perfect.   

What is your favorite genre of music? Today Captain Beefheart’s. Tomorrow?

What is your biggest regret? Working

What is one thing on your bucket list? Time travel

What is your guilty pleasure? Slothfulness

What is your biggest achievement? Turning 70

What is your go to coffee order? Can I get an Irish coffee?

What is your favorite alcoholic beverage? Manhattan

What is your favorite movie? Darby O’Gill and the Little People

What is something that you can’t do but wish you could? High jump at least 8 feet

If you could have someone else’s closet, whose would it be? John Waters

What is an ideal date? 1000 CE

Who is your celeb crush (boy and girl)? Henry V, Elizabeth Zott

What is your favorite type of breakfast food? A proper English breakfast please

What is your favorite smell? Dinner

What is your favorite color? Pink

What is the first thing you do when you wake up? Think about breakfast

What makes you smile the most? Mary’s smile

Who is the last person you texted? You

What is your favorite time of the day? Early Morning

If you could travel with anyone, who would it be? Dante

What is a skill that you are working on? Letting people finish their sentences.

What is your dream job? Arting

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? The one true flavor, chocolate

How would you describe your style? None

What is your favorite curse word? Nerts

Where does one go on a perfect road trip? Whatever alien planet is open to visitors.

How would you like to be remembered? Occasionally