Converse continues its mission to be a platform for youth progress through its new CX Artist Series. This global movement is about matching Converse All Stars with mentors in the creative industry to collaborate on the creative transformation of a blank space.

CREATE YOUR NEXT MOVEMENT THROUGH ART. 

The CX Artist Series has provided the all-stars with a platform where their creative abilities have been put through the ultimate test.  Over the course of 7 days, the three ALL STARS were provided with all the necessary resources and tools to create and curate an entirely unique piece of art on a completely blank canvas. Each member’s creative journey was closely documented from the beginning to end.

Their work is displayed at Mangrove Street in Braamfontein, for peers, media, and people of the community to marvel at. The artists’ chosen theme for this series is Self-Reflection, where they explored the journey of becoming and artist.

The participating ALL STARS are Barney (Instagram: @600degreez_), Tshepo (Instagram: @xingwang_oga) and Murunwa (Instagram: @runwa_). 

Barney is a Johannesburg-based artist that has a very clear narrative on how he wants to Create his Next. “I’m using this opportunity to express how difficult it is to be one type of ‘Happy’ or live up to someone’s definition of happiness. For me happiness comes through self-reflection, I find my true happiness when I reflect on who I am and how I choose to be seen in this world. Let me show you my happiness through self-reflection and see what I can Create Next”. 

“reflect on my experiences and celebrate them. This opportunity allows me to create a room full of self-compliments, self-belief, love and appreciation for my work as an artist. This is not only an opportunity for myself but also other creative who are still discovering themselves. Visual arts is therapeutic and can be used to uplift people’s spirits and that is just what I want to do with this opportunity of Creating Next”. 

Pretoria-based artist; Tshepo, envisions his Next as using the opportunity to

“for so many years I only appreciated one form of art and creativeness. I believed that the kind of art I was doing was never good enough and could never be art that will be appreciated by the masses but this opportunity requires one to really express their kind of art and understand that we can all be creative of whatever category we want. I will use this opportunity as an underrepresented creative to start a movement that appreciates all types of art by helping artiest like me to reflect on themselves and understand that their art is worth sharing with the world. Art can never be one thing, under one category. I will be making my move in the art world despite the challenges I will face”. 

Murunwa, the Johannesburg-based artist’s reason for Creating her Next is that;

Every talented artist has their own individual journey, but every journey involves movement, and every movement is possible with the Converse CX sneaker that is a game changer and continues to tell the story about motion through artistry.