The Creator: Amir Bey
The Celebrants In Flight, Support, and Power of Woman as wind chimes and mobiles
Bey has curated over 100 exhibitions and collaborated or provided visuals for the performances of numerous musicians, dancers, and performers, including Idris Ackamoor, Naoe Moriya Amano, Rhodessa Jones, Maria Mitchell, JD Parran, and Saco Yasuma.
Exhibitions, readings and performances in Japan, Turkey, France, Martinique, Germany, and Spain motivate Amir to cultivate an international perspective.
Amir’s writings have appeared in American Astrology, Art Voices Magazine and in the publications by several artists and musicians. He is included in By Any Means Necessary, an anthology on Malcolm X, published by Third World Press. The New Times Holler is Bey’s engaging and informative website with articles on astrology, interviews, satire, and social commentary.
His work includes The Equinox Celebration Tarot, in English and Japanese, and The Equinox Celebration Tarot Reader. You are invited to visit the Reading Page to experience a unique reading that references ancient and contemporary sources. You are invited to visit the Reading Page to experience a unique reading that references ancient and contemporary sources. Please visit the Store.
Artist's Statement
Amir Bey as Mars. Costume and Astrologo Axes by Amir Bey
"Much of my work involves the face."
"The face's universality makes it an artistic vehicle that can express every emotion, as it projects and protects identity."
"I create masks of etched copper foil, acrylic on canvas and aluminum screen mesh, life casts, and carvings that are combined in installations with silkscreen on fabric that are also used in performances. Any material, media, color combinations, and sites offer limitless possibilities. Two favorites are mobiles of etched copper foil faces that give an iridescent intrigue, and fabrics that have been silkscreened, then twisted and hung, creating surprising designs and costumes."
“Musical instruments made of these mobile masks ("Music Masks" and hand-held “Music Fans”) are hung from ceilings along with the printed fabrics respond to wind currents, causing attached bells to ring. Color, sound, texture, and movement are woven into my installations. Much of this concept comes to life in my collaborations with performers.”
Moyo Roho - Precursor to the Equinox Celebration Tarot
Photo by Noah Rollins
"MOYO ROHO, Kiswahili for 'Heart/Passion Spirit' 28"x12" Nigerian ebony, with brass, African Wonderstone, and deer antler necklace 1976. In the evolution of Bey’s work there are elements that did not exist before Moyo Roho, and the Equinox Celebration began shortly after Moyo Roho’s completion. Some of the Celebrants, such as Power of Woman, and Spirit of Joy, have their raised hands and arms (Shout!), in a direct stance. Many of the Celebrants started from a space carved between the legs or at the bottom of a figure as with Moyo Roho.
Moyo Roho was first shown in New York City at Cinque Gallery in 1978.
Astrologo, As A Symbol For Astrology
Photo by Yusef Jones
The Astrologo combines many aspects of the Earth/Sky relationship: The circle in the center is the Sun and the Earth; there are two crescents on each side of the Sun/Earth, representing the phases of the Moon: the waxing Moon is the crescent on the right, the waning Moon is the crescent on the left. There are other representations that show the Equator, the 23 degree axial tilt of the Earth, the twelve signs, the North and South Poles, the 24 hours of the day, and the Solstices.
As an ideogram, there are other representations: The textured metal suggests the many stars in a galaxy, an eye, the winged solar disk.