Young Paris debuts Impermanence Series at Spring Place

Rapper Young Paris has managed to successfully navigate the world's of fashion, art and music. His latest project fusing all three together is titled Impermanence. Last week at Spring Place, the designer celebrated the launch of the new series with visual works by prominent artists include Rashaad Newsome, Devan Shimoyama, Lerone Wilson, Delphine Diallo, Ntangou Badila along with a fashion installation by Azede.

Young Paris was inspired by the idea of impermanence by an artist he met during Art Basel, who inspired him to think about different ways to engage in different communities and be more present. Being so well connected in the art, music and fashion worlds, he wanted to do something physical for people to experience. So, he brought together African-American and African contemporary artists with strong social impacts who have created a stable name for themselves in the industry.

"Art, music and fashion are three world's I've been dabbling in for the past ten years that I've fallen in love with," Young Paris said. "I've created my own impact there, and I think it's a great time now as we are creating these ambiances what experiences will be like to actually bring these worlds together where you can come and see works that look like sculptures, photography, and fashion installations. It's literally an array of performance. Dialing into the theme of impermanence is reminding our audience to be present, nothing here is to take or to leave with."

Young Paris brings fashion, art, and music together for Impermanence Series

To that end, nothing at the exhibit was for sale, which Young Paris considered a beautiful idea in a world where everything else is so permanent. Spectators could only enjoy this exhibit in the moment.

Originally, Young Paris was supposed to do an intimate performance at Spring Place with another artist to a select group of attendees. However, he was approached by a friend of his, Vajra Kingsley, director of development and marketing at Art Media Holdings, to team up with ARTNews to bring together artists, fashion designers, musicians, sculptors and photographers for an original project. At first the concept seemed be going all over the place, but once the theme of impermanence came to fruition everything came together.

"Everyone involved in this exhibit are incredible creatives who are literally challenging the industry," Young Paris said. "That's the language I relate to them in; how they speak to change, and how they use their platforms to say I know my work is beautiful. It's young Jedis out here creating that conversation."

While fashion and music are a big part of Young Paris' world, art was nothing new for him. He originally went to college as a fine arts major before he dropped out. He spent years going to galleries and artists shows, and Impermanence was about bringing these people he's met throughout his life together.

While this was just the first installment of the event, the rapper plans on making this event quarterly, and hopes to make it bigger every time. He plans on making this event global, and is already looking at Morocco and Dubai as potential sites for future shows.

Even in 2018, African-American and African artists are still under represented in the art world, but Young Paris intends to use Impermanence as a platform to change that. "It's about understanding we are artists of tastes, culture and prestige, and we are bringing a certain level of that to our work," he said. "We are under appreciated. The language we all relate to is that we are constantly trying to prove ourselves. Impermanence is about bringing the strength back home."

"We want to find a new way to inspire people that does embrace technology, that does embrace this millennial world, that takes on news risk and new challenges, and I think Young Paris is really the person to do that," Kingsley said. "He brings the fashion and music to make this a 360 creative experience."

Going forward, Young Paris hopes to include more performance art, installations, and intimate performances from artists. The most important thing he stresses above all else about the exhibit is making sure that nothing is ever for sale.

"Having nothing for sale means you can't walk away with anything. It puts you in nature again, because it's not about owning," he said.

The evening also held a panel discussion by Viacomm's Kodi Foster, artist Dustin Yellin, Daria Brit Greene and Young Paris. The conversation highlighted contemporary African and African-American culture and the tension of past and present African diaspora through art. These concepts were further highlighted in musical performances by singer Oyinda, violinist Ezinma and DJ sets by Odalys & Nianga Niang.

New York is just the beginning for the rapper and his Impermanence Series.

Photos: courtesy of Cabine Creative