That is the second submit in our fourth season of Philly Avenue Artwork Interviews! This season is sponsored by Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL) and its @PHLAirportArt program, which curates museum-quality artwork exhibitions that introduce thousands and thousands of tourists from around the globe to the colourful creative tradition of the area. PHL proudly helps Philly arts and tradition/365! Interview and pictures by Streets Dept Lead Contributor Eric Dale.
Nameless Germantown artist NOMAD has change into well-known in recent times. In 2022, he was featured in each Tiny Room For Elephants and Jawn 6, a rotating exhibition house at Philadelphia Worldwide Airport. He additionally sells clothes, and earned loads of consideration throughout the pandemic as many individuals appeared to artists of shade for house decor—since partitions begin trying somewhat empty once you’re pressured to remain at house.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-18.jpg?w=1024)
However NOMAD might be greatest recognized for his “NOMAD Face” and the phrases that accompany it. The face, a contour line drawing that NOMAD paints round Philadelphia, has distinctly African traits: extensive noses and full lips. When a photograph of certainly one of NOMAD’s spray-painted messages, “STOP GENTRIFYING THIS JAWN,” went viral on Fb, some commenters hypothesized {that a} white faculty scholar was behind it—in different phrases, that the message was not precisely genuine. NOMAD says that the face cleared that up.
That face has change into an emblem, a brand, a tag, a signature—even perhaps a rallying cry. It’s ironic how highly effective a face has change into for an artist who doesn’t present his personal. Fortunately, NOMAD was keen to share his voice after I sat down with him at his house in Germantown to study extra about his artwork and his messages.
Streets Dept’s Eric Dale: Inform me about your identify. Why do you name your self NOMAD?
NOMAD: Once I began my creative journey, I felt like I used to be in an area in my life the place I used to be shifting round quite a bit. So initially, I’m from Germantown, however I ended up in Mount Ethereal, West Oak Lane, East Falls, Nicetown, West Philly… I lived in all these completely different locations, so earlier than I really got here into my very own as a artist and I began taking place my creative journey, I’d say I used to be shifting round quite a bit and simply lived nearly like a nomadic way of life.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-1.jpg?w=1024)
SD: Do you determine extra as a road artist or graffiti author?
ND: That’s a superb query. I do know that with writers, there’s guidelines to writing. And I don’t do nicely with guidelines. I form of do what I need. And I’m not saying I don’t respect a number of the guidelines, however a number of the stuff is, to me, dated. It’s like, we will replace and nonetheless form of hold the tradition recent, like, we don’t must do a number of the previous issues, like public murals getting defaced, and stuff like that. I’m all for throwing up no matter you need wherever, however I’d simply say I’m only a artistic individual, as a result of I wouldn’t take into account myself a road artist both. I imply, I may very well be thought-about that, as a result of I’ve murals within the metropolis, and I suppose that might be thought-about road artwork. However I actually simply really feel like I’m simply an artist that makes use of no matter as they medium, whether or not I wish to write on the street, whether or not I wish to write on clothes… you form of get the place I’m coming from?
I’ll say it was rooted in graffiti. I wished to be a author as a result of I did loads of learning on that sort stuff. It was simply, like, getting my identify up all over the place, and it was cool, however then after I discovered extra about Basquiat, I began seeing the similarities. Like, oh shit, he’s form of not writing his identify all over the place. He’s saying stuff on the street. I kinda really feel like what I do leans extra in direction of that, however it is also alongside the traces of being a author, too, trigger I’ve a tag and I put it up locations. However I really feel like with [being a graffiti writer] that it’s moreso self-fulfilling. It’s like me me me me me. My factor is like, I’m attempting to make clear one thing. That’s simply my opinion on it.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-11.jpg?w=1024)
SD: You’ve stated that your paintings is form of like creating your personal ads. What are you promoting?
ND: I need individuals to be extra conscious of what’s happening round them. Once I’m attempting to make clear Mumia’s case, and I write “FREE MUMIA” on the street, some individuals may need by no means heard of him. We’ve political prisoners nonetheless locked up which can be Philadelphia residents and haven’t been given honest trials. With the gentrification, if I’m writing “STOP GENTRIFYING THIS JAWN” on, like, these newer buildings which can be form of eyesores, and destroying the tradition, I actually wish to carry consciousness to stuff like that. Even after I say “BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL,” I really feel prefer it’s a lotta damaging imagery on the market about Black individuals. You activate the information; it’s fixed damaging. So actually it’s simply attempting to succeed in individuals in that means.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-7.jpg?w=1024)
SD: Of the numerous phrases that you simply’ve painted, which one resonates with you probably the most or which one do you are feeling is a very powerful?
ND: I’d say “BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL,” simply because rising up, I had a revelation after I was in like eighth grade. My trainer, Miss Bailey, she form of conditioned us and programmed us—she had her personal historical past books and so they didn’t name Black individuals “slaves;” they are saying “enslaved African.” So it was like an entire completely different semantics. My life has been enriched from simply realizing my historical past and realizing about my tradition and simply loving my tradition. I wish to unfold that to individuals in my tradition, as a result of I really feel prefer it’s not trying the most effective proper now. The Americanization of the Black individual hasn’t been a fairly experience. So it’s like I simply wish to make issues stunning. I wish to make individuals really feel stunning.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-5.jpg?w=1024)
ND: I keep in mind I used to be on the bus one time. The bus was stuffed with Black individuals, however everyone appeared form of downtrodden, you recognize, after lengthy days of labor. And I see magnificence in something, even when it’s simply you working onerous. You don’t must look stunning for me to say that. So I simply felt like writing [“BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL”] at the moment, and I keep in mind writing it, and nearly all of individuals on the bus—their angle, like, modified. Like they seen me writing it, and it was like hey, what are you doing writing that? However then once they seen it achieved, it was like, okay, yeah, I like that!
So it’s a type of issues the place I did get gratification out of doing it… But it surely’s simply my character—I actually don’t need any sort of consideration. I simply need Black individuals to know that they stunning, it doesn’t matter what’s being instructed about us. That’s why I just like the juxtaposition of after I put my stuff out on the street, anyone can work together with it. I’ve a digicam roll of all these completely different pictures of individuals in entrance of stuff. It ranges from little youngsters, like, joyful in entrance of it, to love guys who’re standing on a nook, and you recognize they doing one thing unlawful—they acquired weapons! However I imply, I can see magnificence in all sides of the tradition.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-8.jpg?w=1024)
SD: There’s a Bible verse within the Instagram bio of your clothes line. “Watch out to not do your good works in public so as to entice consideration.” So I appeared it up, and it continues: “In the event you do, your Father in heaven won’t reward you.” So I’m interested by what this verse means to you.
ND: As ironic because it sounds, I’m not attempting to realize any sort of [attention on myself]. I simply need the issues that I’m speaking about to obtain the eye. These things is necessary; we acquired to speak about it.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-12.jpg?w=1024)
SD: It looks as if road artwork and graffiti as a medium type of inherently go in opposition to the sentiment of that verse.
ND: That’s a really fascinating thought. However certainly one of my artistic shops is known as Good Samaritans. And that’s the start of the Good Samaritan Bible verse. Particularly within the day and age of social media, we’ve lots of people doing issues for present, and it’s loads of performative acts happening. In order that was simply form of an announcement that I made. It’s okay in case you do this sort of stuff, however it is best to actually be doing issues simply out of pure goodness. You need to wish to assist individuals. You shouldn’t be like, yo, if I wish to assist anyone, I gotta file them. Or if it hasn’t been recorded, it hasn’t occurred. Like, issues occur off the web. Social media is its personal world, however there’s nonetheless a actuality out right here.
So that you might be doing all these things for social media and actually not doing nothing in actuality. Granted, I exploit my graffiti as outreach and to carry individuals in, however I nonetheless really feel like exterior of that world, I’ve achieved just a few issues. I really feel as if what I do in actuality form of offsets the performative. All of us have one thing in us that’s distinctive and that can be utilized creatively, and we will change the world. If extra individuals didn’t suppose solely stars and celebrities can do this… it’s like, you are able to do that, too. Common individuals can do extraordinary issues.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-14.jpg?w=1024)
SD: How did the pandemic change your work?
ND: It’s humorous, as a result of with the social local weather of the pandemic, I felt like lots of people awoke. It was stuff that I used to be already speaking about. Lots of my stuff began in 2018, like, with the face and simply me being extra lively.
Throughout the pandemic, I misplaced three jobs. I had three part-time jobs that I used to be working, and I misplaced all these. After which in all probability that very same week began like a string of individuals simply buying paintings from me, like individuals simply hitting me up like, hey, do you have got paintings on the market? Tags that had been previous, individuals had been recognizing them, like stuff was blowing up. I used to be very blessed throughout the pandemic. It was like each week, anyone was shopping for $1,000 price of labor.
So I took that vitality and I put it into fundraising for different companies. I made a decision that I wished to launch a restricted version. I don’t actually do print work. Lots of my work is authentic, so actually I simply make work, after which that’s what it’s. However I created a restricted version collection of prints and I used half of that cash, and I put it in direction of a Black-owned enterprise. And I did it two different instances with two different Black-owned companies, and I used to be capable of increase like $1,000 to provide to those companies that weren’t actually doing nicely throughout the pandemic, that I had private relationships with. That felt good that I used to be receiving so many blessings that I used to be capable of unfold it round.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-irregular-4.jpeg?w=1024)
SD: How did your ongoing collaboration with irregular come about?
ND: He was promoting paintings in Rittenhouse Sq., and I used to be like an artwork collector. So I used to be out and about, attempting to gather artwork, and I believe we had a short dialog, however our energies… he was a cool individual. We simply form of saved involved on Instagram. However then as time went on, really, proper earlier than the Tiny Room For Elephants, we had simply talked about it, like yo, let’s collaborate. Let’s do some shit. We are able to hit the streets. It was fascinating when he reached out [because] I actually don’t collaborate with individuals. I form of simply do my very own factor.
His shit is simply “irregular,” mine’s is I be saying shit. It’s not as shortly as a one-off factor, so I gotta form of be on my Ps and Qs somewhat bit. So it’s good after I exit with him, and he’s simply tearing shit up and I’m similar to alright, I can go put some shit up over right here.
And it’s at all times enjoyable working with anyone you vibe with, too, in order that’s why I actually fuck with irregular. It’s like we knew one another since perpetually, however we actually simply met. And so far as enterprise, there ain’t no humorous enterprise. Like, lower and dry. Cash right here, there; there’s by no means any sort of challenge with him.
It’s humorous—Streets Dept launched a submit of the highest road artwork moments [of 2022], and I didn’t make it personally, however I made it with irregular, after which I made it with Tiny Room For Elephants. Like, you do issues in different areas, and also you’re uncovered to different individuals’s networks, and that’s at all times a superb factor.
I like working with irregular. He form of pushes me, too. As a result of I work on my own on a regular basis, it’s simply me in opposition to me. Once I’m with him, it’s not like being aggressive, however it’s simply, like, human nature. It’s like alright, nicely, let me get as busy. So I undoubtedly like that, trigger it retains me related and within the combine.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-15.jpg?w=1024)
SD: What targets do you have got to your artwork profession over the following 5 years?
ND: I don’t find out about 5, trigger the way in which time been time-ing… you say “5,” and then you definitely search for and you want rattling, that was ten years in the past!
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-2.jpg?w=1024)
SD: So what are your targets for the following ten minutes?
ND: Haha! What I actually wish to do is on the finish of this 12 months, I wish to at the least have set in stone my first solo exhibition. I wish to get that achieved the start of subsequent 12 months. And I wish to get issues shifting with my Good Samaritans model. I need that to change into, not mainstream, however I simply need it to develop to the place I see it rising.
After I’ve my first solo exhibition, all these concepts that I’ve had, and all these collaborations and other people I wish to work with, I wish to begin doing that and simply getting my artwork out extra, and simply spreading extra, possibly do a pair residencies. I undoubtedly wish to journey, like, I don’t wish to keep in Philadelphia. I wish to get my message worldwide. I’ve been speaking to my man who owns Tha Sckool Bus, like, I wish to do a nationwide tour with that jawn, simply driving throughout with it. So it’s all this stuff that I wish to do, however principally, it’s actually simply finishing my first exhibition so individuals can form of see who NOMAD is, after which we will go from there. I’ve no limits to my creativity and I exploit the world as my medium. So I wish to present those that. And proceed to evolve, truthfully.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/sd-nomad-17.jpg?w=1024)
SD: From what I’ve examine you, I believe it will be honest to name you the unofficial artist ambassador to Germantown. So if that had been an actual function, what would your duties be?
ND: What I’m already doing—simply being a voice for artists in Germantown, as a result of there’s so many wonderful artists on this space. Simply getting individuals alternatives. As a result of I began after I did begin—I haven’t been a lifelong artist—I really feel like there’s so many wonderful artists who simply haven’t been given the chance or individuals might not find out about them. I simply would love for the alternatives that I’ve been afforded to be out there to all of the artists in Germantown. I would love the entire “ravenous artist” factor to form of be washed away. You don’t must be a ravenous artist, like, you’ll be able to stay off the paintings.
SD: Who’re 5 Germantown artists that folks ought to find out about?
ND: This can be a actual onerous query! [After much consideration, NOMAD named Anthony Carlos Molden, SNIPE, Gaza, Kambel Smith, and Tomarra Sankara-Kilombo.]
SD: What do you’re keen on most about Germantown? What makes it particular to you?
ND: There’s quite a bit. I grew up in Germantown, I simply love all the pieces about it. The tradition, farmers markets and stuff, the character, the greenery. The older I acquired after which after I got here again to Germantown, I’m capable of respect it extra, simply from seeing different elements of town. I inform individuals on a regular basis Germantown is nearly like the place individuals come to quiet down, and like, retire. It nearly has that really feel to it, in comparison with a West Philly, as a result of it’s faculty campuses round. It’s like the identical vitality up in Germantown, however the individuals are somewhat bit older. Or not even older, however additional alongside in no matter profession or no matter path they’re in.
I like all the pieces about Germantown, truthfully. I like the structure, and I like that it’s not getting taken over with new structure as quick. Like, shit is popping up, however it’s not like different elements of town the place it’s like an entire facelift.
SD: Thanks a lot!
ND: It was a complete pleasure.
![](https://streetsdept.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/afromation-avenue-germantown-4-art-by-nomad-photo-by-conrad-benner.jpg?w=1024)
Editor’s Observe: With regards to NOMAD’s love for and reference to Germantown, the artist lately accomplished a collection of road signal artworks for Afromation Avenue across the Germantown neighborhood. And we’ll have extra on that venture on the weblog subsequent week!