"They call us monkeys and apes. But you know what? I like monkeys. They're cool, man. So I made art from it."

- Aaron Lundy Bey

The walls of your shop are covered with various masks that you’ve made over the years. Could you tell me about your artwork? I’ve been doing art since I was a child. As I got older, I started looking at Egyptian art, and I started to see a resemblance in the way that I do art in comparison to how they did it. So, my art goes way back to that time. I was doing this way before I was exposed to Egyptian art. This art, is hereditary. It’s in our genes. It’s just like an eagle. The eagle makes its nest a certain way. You can go anywhere in the world, and the eagle’s nest is going to be made in the same way. It’s just like our culture, and our art. I don’t matter if it’s been thousands of years. It’s in our genes. Even the music, and the way we worship. Europeans took advantage of this. I got this style from the hieroglyphics. I use paper, and they used papyrus. They also used to make coffins out of this papier-mâché material.  You mentioned our ancestry, and our African roots. These topics seem to resonate with you and your artwork. Some of your masks remind me of some of the African masks that I see at the history museum. What influenced you to produce art that connects with African historical heritage? I’m Moorish-American. Those were the people they brought in during slavery. They gave us the name “negro, black and colored,” stripping us away from our heritage. We had to be some great people for them to do that. You know what I’m sayin’? We invaded Spain in 711 A.D. Our ancestors did that. That’s why they really don’t want us to know about our history. Our ancestors terrified Europe for centuries. So you know that they’re gonna steal anything that we did great. Our ancestors migrated to the northwestern and southwestern shores of Africa. All we ever did was spread civilization. Even in America. They figured we should hate them because of slavery. But we don’t. We came and spread our culture. If you don’t know where you come from, then you’ll never know where you’re going. We had to be a great people for them to hide our true identity. It’s just like having a tiger in your house, but he thinks he’s a pussycat. That’s how we are. I got my degree in history because I had a good history teacher in high school. Oh really? That’s awesome! I’m also a history major. What school did you go to? When I went to prison for eight years, I received my degree from the University of Indiana. You were incarcerated in Indiana? No, I’m from Houston. The professors were from Indiana though. Yea, eight years is a long time. Fortunately, I could still practice my papier-mâché in confinement. And I was at least able to further my education and finish college. I got my degree from Indiana University, while in prison. You have to take advantage of a disadvantage. It became obvious to me that Brother Aaron took particular interest in Pan-Africanism. Instead of referring to our ancestors as “they” or “them,” he used “us, we,” and “our.” Brother Aaron has a personal connection with African history. He accredits his artistic ability to his ancestors rather than himself. Brother Aaron believes that Black people share an African ancestral connection that survived the brutal interruptions of European colonialism and slavery. Brother Aaron never disclosed what decisions or factors led him to serving eight years in prison. I was much more interested in the fact that he studied history while confined. Even today, higher educational programs in prisons rarely offer credit-bearing courses. According to Brother Aaron, it was the history courses and his love for art that helped him bear those eight years of hard time. You’ve been convicted. You were a student. Today you are a hairstylist. However, you’ve always been an artist. Can you give me some more details about your personal history, as well as the factors which lead you to your current career? I had been in confinement for eight years. When I got out, I didn’t wanna go back. I need to find something constructive to do with my life. When I got out, I was living with my sister. My nieces did hair at the house and figured that I could do that as well. They encouraged me to go to beauty school, I’ve been running this shop since 1985, and the rest is history. What else interests you about hair? You know what they say? “If the people don’t have nappy hair, they ain’t no kin to us.” But our people have been everywhere. The most distinguishing thing about us is our beautiful hair. Hair is another way that I could express my artistic ability. When I came into this shop today, I saw that you were intensely focusing on your art. Could you tell me a little bit about the process? A long time ago, I went to Texas Art supply in Montrose to purchase a canvas. I saw that the prices were so high, and I asked the owner, “why is this canvas so high?” The owner suggested that I buy a wooden canvas, but I had another idea. I figured that people keep throwing away paper. So why not use that as my material and recycle it for art. Of course I had to learn how to make my own mix. I sometimes use raw craft newspaper material. It’s not as durable as the processed newspaper material. The gray ink makes it last. After I’m done molding it, I just set it out in the sun. Sometimes it takes 2 weeks, and other times 4 weeks. Once it’s dry, I paint over it, and let it sit.  You also use waste paper that you find on the street? I had to learn how to use that paper for art, and it’s not easy. There are a lot of steps you gotta go through. There’s not a special paper I use. It’s just regular newspaper. People throw paper on the side of the road all the time. I turn it into art. You know what they say? “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” That’s a true statement. Brother Aaron gave me a brief tour of his gallery, showing me some of his favorite masks and portraits displayed on the walls. He expressed his desire to create a full exhibit at an art show and open a local art museum. I think that the mere volume of masks that he keeps at Aaron’s Beauty Salon and his home garage could occupy the Station Museum of Contemporary Art located between Midtown and Houston’s Greater Third Ward area. One of Brother Aaron’s first portraits sits above the hair dryers in his shop. His works challenge negative stereotypes which are often used to describe Black men. The first portrait that caught my attention showed a Black father holding his baby in the middle of a neighborhood street. The second was a man and woman sitting at a table, which appeared to be a casual date. The third painting of a herd of elephants. Brother Aaron told me that these were some of his earlier works. In my observation, these portraits challenge the demeaning stereotypes which are often used to undermine Black men and their families. It’s not uncommon for Black families to be described as broken. There’s also a common narrative that collectively paints Black fathers as being absent from family responsibilities. These portraits not only challenge these narratives, but they also seem to deter from the hyper-masculine characteristics that are commonly associated with Black men. In my opinion, the softness of the father’s eyes is almost disarming. These works of art gave me a mixed feeling of emotional vulnerability and familial pride. Instead of loudly proclaiming it, the portrait sternly yet tenderly states that “we are fathers too, and we will not be disrespected.” Brother Aaron has a fondness for monkeys and apes. One of the portraits has a chimpanzee smoking a joint with the word “thug” written on his long jersey. Another art piece in his collection is a detailed chimpanzee papier-mâché mask. The description of apes is often used to racially degrade the image and intellectual capacity of Black people. I wasn’t sure of Brother Aaron’s motivation for creating these somewhat controversial art pieces. He mentioned that he watched the news and heard the “ape in heels” comment made by a West Virginian official describing Michelle Obama. The chimpanzee portrait caught my attention. What inspired you to make this piece? It could be very controversial, and it might offend people if it’s not contextualized. They call us monkeys and apes. But you know what? I like monkeys. They’re cool man. So, I made art from it. The words that people say, even the negatives, can be turned into a positive. They’re giving you materials to use, and power. If the punchline is real powerful, take that and use it. Brother Aaron received his history degree and became acquainted with his spiritual connection with his ancestry, behind bars. When there weren’t many opportunities for him in the job market as an ex-con, he learned a new skill to start his own business. Becoming an independent business owner also allows him to continue practicing his art every single day. He not only challenges racial stereotypes, but he repurposes them into works of art. Finally, Brother Aaron literally turns trash into treasure by utilizing waste paper that he finds in his neighborhood. Brother Aaron is a living representation of the Black experience. Most importantly, his artwork is therapeutic for him. From preserving our culture through during slavery, to creating the Blues during the lynching of the reconstruction era, Brother Aaron’s artwork represents one of the many ways of how Black people have responded to harsh realities.