Sam Modder
How long have you been drawing?
- I've been drawing since I was a kid, there are a few artists in my family so I've had a lot of people to look up to. I began to take my work more seriously in college, where I double majored in studio art and engineering,
Could you describe or sum up your style?
- This is directly from my website and is how I describe my work typically "I draw Black people taking up space in all their texture, vibrancy and power" I consider myself a drawer, I love lines and the way they can be used to mark and create value. I'm most drawn to work that is high contrast with strong graphic quality. In a lot of my work, I play with texture, pattern and collage.
How did you feel about designing a deck for Flick?
- I was honestly really excited about the idea of designing a card pack. It wasn't something I would have thought of doing on my own, but it was a fun challenge to think of how I could incorporate my art into such a familiar object. I also loved the idea of greater representation, card decks are played with all over the world, and yet they represent a very specific white culture
Is there a message behind the art featured in your deck?
- It's exciting to think of how including artists in the project of reimagining something as simple as a card deck is the right step in decolonizing current perspectives.
- Yes, I knew I wanted to celebrate and uplift Blackness, and for me, Black hair does that because it connects Black people from all across the diaspora. It's beautiful, versatile, and an outlet for creativity and personal expression. I wanted to highlight a range of different Black hairstyles and textures, and acknowledge this natural crown we have been blessed with. I had the most fun creating the Aces, which are different combs used specifically on natural hair. I love the strong shapes these combs have and how they have come to be powerful symbols of self-love and Black empowerment.
Your deck was launched during Black History Month (USA), what does this celebration mean to you, personally?
- To me, every month is Black History month! The history of Black people in the US is the history of the US. I do appreciate how the month encourages the sharing of history and contributions of Black people in the US but as always, there is so, so much to be done, and celebrating Black history month is just the minimum.
Your portfolio is AMAZING (sammodder.com). In your art, there is so much tender and powerful observation of the world and people - how did you find your style?
- I love to think about how art can take up space - this has come to mean a lot of things in my practice, from thinking about things like scale, presence, message or the literal physical occupation of space. It could also mean taking up space in where and how the work is seen, through design, for example, art can enter people's homes and day-to-day in an unassuming way like a card deck.
My Hair Is My Crown is the deck from the incredible talent, Sam, in-game now and always!
