𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐬, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 & 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐀𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬
𝘈𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘯 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦.
Friends, this is my final Sunday in New York and I feel obliged to conclude my chapter here sincerely with you all.
As many of you already know, the reason I moved to NYC from Washington, DC in the first place was due to a combination of being accepted to an internationally recognized residency program that awarded me with Artist of the Year in 2020 (whom I am grateful towards) and dozens of galleries I had been in conversation with interested in exhibiting my art.
My exit out of the Big Apple is a story in and of itself as a container of political demagoguing and a rejection of wealth from the shadowy underbelly of the anti-American elite. The reality is that my journey is a microcosm of the culture wars and reveals quite a bit about our society both aesthetic and psychological.
Chest Magazine’s very own Jack Donovan wrote a fabulous article on my rollercoaster in the city in a very candid conversation and paints a picture of what a dissident artist today looks like in our current cultural climate, check it out on the front page here.
Chest is not only incredibly unique but necessary today, it is an alternative media source that recognizes the importance of masculine aesthetics and conversations beyond the stereotypical muscle bound meathead who places his pride in what he drives or the number of sexual partners he had in his youth.
Go subscribe while you're at it.
First, I’m not a politician. Nor would I ever insult myself with such a parasitic title. Everything I share is coming from the vantage point of a cultural agent - I am an internationally recognized painter with a solid following who’s hand is on the pulse, consistently in communication with hugely influential men and women. That said, a huge part of my exit is in joining what is being called the Mass Exodus, that is New Yorkers and Californians fleeing to more sovereign and free states like Florida, Texas or Tennessee. And I can’t help but point out the elephant in the room in response to this disturbing government overreach.
Due to the matriarchy of the overprotective mother (vaccine mandates, senseless masking, critical race theory, gender fluidity, safe space mollycoddling, etc.) the more libertarian and conservative population is being forced to centralize together by location, in other words you are witnessing a transition of boundaries from the ideological to the physical.
This is a big deal, and with the acceleration of decentralized financing and gateway economy’s via cryptocurrencies and NFT’s in conjunction to shameless radicalization occurring at a daily basis it is inevitable that our country will literally be divided into a system of echo chambers with no pushback.
This, is where the artist finds his role amidst the chaos. To placate visual anchors of what matters through it all through the utilization of symbolism and formal training. While my following is across the aisle and much more diverse than many would believe; my vocation into the arts was entirely based upon catharsis and evolved into that of integrity, not my identity. I believe the brush ought to be yielded as an extended arm of the soul warding off the creative stagnation of collectivism like moths to a flame.
I was one of five honorable men who shared the stage on the Red Man Group Live at the 21 Summit who discussed some of these themes in regards to The Future of American Masculinity, it is a lively discussion that is definitely worth tuning into.
I am on this road as an artist to preserve that which is sacred whilst paying homage to our ancestors and the traditions they held high. I believe that is the meaning of my life and your support goes a long way towards the production of fine art analogous to the values that undergird your lifestyle and child rearing decisions onto the world’s stage.
*Consider becoming a patron in the link here, even $10 a month goes a long way collectively and I deeply appreciate the support.
Lastly, I believe there is a misconception about masculinity and it was intentionally designed by our useful idiots. Masculinity is not anti-feminine, just writing that sounds preposterous. Additionally masculinity is not unromantic, it is actually the most romantic when seen in its proper light as a whetstone sharpening the sword of your leadership in monogamy. In that spirit I want to remind you that pre-orders for Kissing through the Ages is available for your significant other or yourself, they ship this week if you’ve booked your spot and there are only 30 available.
Get yours while you can here!
Until the next time, God be with you.
𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐫 𝐊𝐰𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐞
Mr. Lee is the most important and inspirational artist in North America. Few even compare. Finding his works was akin to striking gold.
Godspeed, comrade. Truth and beauty will prevail in the end, even in the urban gulags.