I make paintings that represent our time and artifacts to educate future generations. I specialize in oil, acrylic, latex and watercolor painting. I mainly make money. I'm taking classes at CCAD, as well.
2. Where are you from?
I'm from Fort Wayne, Indiana. It's the second largest city in Indiana, located in the northwest corner. I currently live in Columbus, Ohio.
3. Most influential books, movies, music, plays, poems, photos, artists?
Reading The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins and The Meme Machine by Susan Blackmore laid the foundation for my ideologies of art and life. Music by 2Pac and Kanye West continually inspire me. I'm currently reading A Life of Picasso by John Richardson. My artist forefathers are Kehinde Wiley, Shepard Fairey, Andy Warhol, Barbara Kruger, Robert Indiana, Jeff Koons and Tracey Emin.
4. Does your work have a consistent message?
Yes, my paintings are overtly about self-promotion. Our world is a struggle of ideas and a struggle for power. The only intelligent way for an artist to handle this competitive environment is to explicitly present the subject matter, just like an advertisement. I, the artist, represent myself in each painting, so I present and advertise myself in my paintings. It's fundamentally the same as Facebook.
The human struggle for power manifests itself in competition for money and status. While a painting is only a decorative product like a flower, it presents the owner with a high level of status, and it lasts for a long time. If you are powerful enough, you could own a KenA Kasch painting.
5. Does your cultural background influence your work?
Yes, I went to one of the most ethnically diverse high schools in the United States. I had friends in each of the communities (Black, White, Mexican and Burmese). This allowed me to learn about many cultures and think about life from several different perspectives.
Black American culture, mainly rap music, has had the greatest influence on my artwork. Rap music deals with self-promotion, status, controversy and money. My work deals with these things, too.
6. What are your addictions?
Besides painting, I'm addicted to Mountain Dew Code Red, rap music and greatness.
7. Earliest exposure to art?
I have drawn and painted my entire life. I was first exposed to the breadth of art in my elementary school. It was a fine arts magnet school; we had a variety of classes in art, as well as classes in singing, band, acting, speech, ballet and creative dance.
8. What tools or mediums do you want to work with but haven't yet?
I look forward to learning printmaking because it's an efficient way to mass-produce images on a flat surface.
9. Have you been commissioned? For whom and what?
I have painted several murals, mostly decorating rooms with a theme. The exception was a 25-foot mural I painted for the WaterFurnace headquarters facility in Fort Wayne. It depicted their worldwide manufacturing process.
10. Besides artmaking, what do you do?
Sleep.
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