Auudi Dorsey (b.1992, New Orleans, LA) is currently based in New Orleans. Dorsey’s practice is driven by his innermost thoughts and perspective on life. Figures seen in the artist’s work are inspired by the day-to-day people and circumstances that exist in southern culture. Dorsey’s artistic practice is deeply influenced by New Orleans and his subjects’ ancestral culture.
His paintings elevate his subjects, making them part of something greater while highlighting the significance of their heritage. His visual language reflects the idea of finding value in the seemingly insignificant and portrays the enduring connection of Black Americans in the South to their ancestral roots. Dorsey’s figures in his work can be seen engaging in their environment whether it’s from celebrations, traditions, or social gatherings. The artist’s work conveys the past, the present, and the future of Blackfolks in the South.
Dorsey artworks reside in the museum collections of X Museum Beijing, China, The Xiao Museum of Contemporary Art Rizhao, China and UpNext Museum San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Profile picture by Wankke Basiley
Hi Auudi! It’s a pleasure to sit down with you, First question that I always ask. How does a regular day look like for you in New Orleans?
Auudi: Of late, a regular day for me is being consistent in spending time in the studio painting and meeting deadlines. I try to maintain a good balance of creating and enjoying life which most times intersect.
I’m curious, growing up in New Orleans, what kind of kid were you? What did you enjoy doing, and how did you spend your time?
Auudi: I was a very curious, smart, and active kid growing up. I would observe everything around me and want to learn and try it myself. I was the kid that could learn and do anything I put my mind to. I love to learn. I taught myself how to skateboard, just off pure curiosity and consistency. I taught my self how to work on cars just from observing my pops. Once I put my mind to learning something, I am going to master it and I have been that way since a kid.
You’re self-taught, no fancy art school, but when did you start painting, and when did you start taking being an artist seriously?
Auudi: I think I always been an artist in different faucets of life, I just put more effort into my painting once I stopped skateboarding. I needed a new outlook to share my creativity. I also had a few experiences and world travels that helped broaden my life perspectives and in turn hone in on the type of art I wanted to create. My first trip to Art Basel in 2016 cemented how seriously I knew I wanted to take my art and I’ve been locked in and creating ever since.
Ok Auudi, with these next series of questions, I will try to delve into your work as best as possible. So, your work spotlights folks like parking attendants, fishermen, chefs—people we often pass by. What is it about these seemingly everyday people that makes you want to document them?
Auudi: When you say the term “everyday people”, we are all that. Every one is just as important as the next. That’s why I like to spotlight blue collar workers, people who are providing services essential to everyday life. We are all everyday people, You can be the president, you can be a service worker. We need every day people to make the world function. I think it’s interesting how service workers are sometimes seen as less when we need the cooks, we need the fisherman, we need mechanics. I like to spotlight these people because it is inclusion, it gives people the opportunity to see themselves in my work.
So who are the protagonists in your paintings?
Auudi: Any and every one can be the protagonist in my work. My paintings are truly a pause in time of the world around me. What I see walking down my block or my interpretations of the different lives I am simply able to observe.
I know you’re currently working on a new boxing series. What’s the background story there? What sparked that idea?
Auudi: The series is about a boxer named Clifford Entienne from Louisiana who initially turned his life around through boxing while serving time in prison. He served his time in Angola, one of the toughest jails in the world, and utilized his time boxing, ultimately becoming really good. Upon getting out, he pursued his boxing career and was hailed by some as the next Mike Tyson. At the time, Mike Tyson had just returned from retirement with his infamous face tattoo. The fight was hyped to be career changing for both, but unfortunately ended in Clifford being knocked out his first round. Tysons career would continue to skyrocket while the opposite would happen for Clifford. He ended up back in Louisiana and unfortunately fell back into old habits that would land him back in jail. Serving a life sentence, Clifford picked up a paint brush this time versus boxing gloves. He found his passion for painting and became just as great of an artist as he was once a fighter and is well-known today for the art he continues to create. I was drawn to this untold gem of a story and how it is a testimony of how most times passion and purpose is found and pulled from ones darkest moments. That sparked my interest to share this story and the beauty that can be birthed from ones trials in life.
Your paintings carry joy, pain, poverty, celebration—all at once. What’s the hardest emotions that resonates with you?
Auudi: The hardest emotion that resonates with me is the idea that as a black artist the value of my art, of which evokes the emotions you listed and the plight of the black experience, usually has its value determined by those who are not necessarily apart of that.
From New Orleans to galleries in Hong Kong, Beijing, London—your art’s gone global. What’s it like seeing your corner of the South speak to people halfway around the world?
Auudi: New Orleans is the heartbeat of America, especially for Black folks. Jazz was created here. A lot of ancestors came through these pathways. I believe I am just sharing it again across the world through my art.
Shows like Momma Said and We Just Got to See Usscream family and visibility. What’s a piece of advice from your mom—or someone close—that still echoes when you’re painting?
Auudi: A piece of advice that I carry with me just in life in general is from my pops and he told me “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. These are words to live by and hold true in all faucets of my life.
You nod to New Orleans with Waffle House signs and white tees—those little anchors. What’s another detail from home you love slipping in, and why does it matter to you?
Auudi: The rawness and the authenticity of New Orleans. What you see is what you get. Black people.
You’re capturing the South’s Black experience. What’s a piece of your own story—maybe shame, pride, or loss—that you’ve buried in a painting for only you to know?
Auudi: The painting I did entitled “Joyride” actually has a paralel to my own life in which I was with my friends joyriding, smoking, and essentially going down the wrong path. I remember in that moment I knew I could choose skateboarding, which was a positive influence in my life, or choose the path joyriding would ultimately take me down. I wanted to evoke that feeling I felt in the backseat that night, realizing the decisions of my destiny were in the car at that moment. That’s why that painting is very personal to me and my story.
JOYRIDE PAINTING HERE
Can you walk me through your creative process from beginning to end result?
Auudi: My creative process first starts with research and time which is very important since I sit with so many ideas. Next comes sketching those ideas based on what I envision, then building a color palette based on mood and setting. I tend to steer clear of bright colors and more so focus on dark tones which may make it a little more difficult to find colors but also evokes more of the raw authentic emotion I am going for. Lastly comes putting the brush to canvas and ultimately bringing those ideas and sketches to fruition.
Outside of art, what’s something you’re obsessed with right now—maybe a hobby, a show, or even a food—that keeps you grounded or inspired?
Auudi: I am a podcast junkie, right now The Joe Budden Pod is my go-to. I also have a guilty obsession with the youtube Pop the Balloon series, really just for the social commentary.
What qualities do you find most important in the people you choose to spend time with?
Auudi: Easy, consideration.
Anybody you look up to?
Auudi: Not necessarily look up to but Action Bronson inspires me in life.
What motivates you?
Auudi: The process.
How would you describe a perfect day?
Auudi: A perfect day for me would start with a morning drive in my car and either hit the sauna or a 3 mile run through City Park all before 8AM. Then take a nice scenic drive through Esplanade and probably stop by the art store or Whole Foods. I try to spend as much time outside getting some sun and fresh air before I make my way to the studio. This may include sitting outside a coffee shop and people watching for hours which also inspires my creativity by creating narratives. This gets me ready and motivated to then hit the studio. When I make it to the studio I usually find myself locking in for about 8 to 10 hours.
Alright Auudi, I always ask these two questions at the end of an interview. The first is. What’s your favorite movie(s) and why?
Auudi: My favorite movie is Gone in 60 seconds because I dream of one day owning a car collection that extensive and exclusive. Also it was cool seeing how he was able to obtain said cars. LOL.
The second is. What song(s) are you currently listening to the most right now?
Auudi: The song I am currently listening to the most is Curren$y “Zack Morris Phone”