Darold Brown (Ferg) on His Multidimensional Art Practice

In an interview with Tschabalala Self, musician and visual artist Darold Brown, known as Ferg, discusses his artistic evolution. Brown, an alumnus of New York City's Art and Design High School, has long pursued art and design alongside music. He now paints under his legal name, Darold Brown, to distinguish his visual art from his music persona. His works capture the cinematic quality of 1990s Harlem, drawing on pop-cultural references and incorporating fashion and design sensibilities. Brown describes his paintings as artifacts intended to tell stories for future generations, likening them to Egyptian hieroglyphics. He emphasizes that his art is an expansion, not a departure, from his music career, comparing his brand to a department store adding new departments. Brown's early creative pursuits included silkscreening t-shirts and crafting crystal pendants, which he sold for up to $1,000. His father, a graphic designer who created the Bad Boy and Uptown Records logos, ran a clothing line called Ferg Apparel and a restaurant named Haggies in Harlem. Brown credits Harlem's vibrant culture and figures like Sir Shadow as influences. He believes sincerity is crucial in art, asserting that while one can lie in music, painting demands truth.