Space ships. Spray paint. Otherworldly costumes. George “Dr. Funkstein” Clinton is a rockstar both on stage and on the canvas. The Grammy-award winning musician, who gave funk a new edge in the 1970s with his band Parliament-Funkadelic, is lesser known for his equally mind-bending visual work.
In his debut institutional exhibition, “Cloaked in a Cloud, Disguised in the Sky” at the SCAD Museum of Art, Clinton distills a cross-section of music, funk, and Afrofuturism into one museum space. Here, visitors can see a remake of the iconic “Mothership”—a literal space ship decked out in colored portholes and antenna-like orbs of light that was a crucial fixture at each P-Funk concert—amidst other band mementos such as album covers and cosmic costumes.
"Radical and uninhibited, Clinton’s idiosyncratic approach to painting exemplifies his unflagging commitment to artistic freedom. This multifaceted exhibition is a revelation and a joyful invitation to all," noted SCAD Chief Curator Daniel S. Palmer. Indeed, behind the iridescence, is a real cultural gravity. P-Funk is well-documented in its ability to foster subversive and liberating spaces.
The sentiment is one that carries through into Clinton's work now on view. Fields of color intermingle across wall-spanning canvases. Collaged works blend pop culture touchpoints with gestural, painted figures. Despite the ties to his music career, this is Clinton as you haven't seen him before. During his Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Lecture at SCAD, decked out in a glitter two-piece, Clinton told the audience, “You have to put your own interpretation on what you’re doing, otherwise you’re just spending time.”
By not only imagining, but literally carving out spaces for unbridled originality, Clinton has secured himself a rare longevity and multidisciplinary status in the creative arts. Instead of being confined to a singular label, the funk virtuoso is always remaking himself. "As an artist, I have always looked to the next generation for creativity and inspiration," he remarked, speaking of how younger generations continue to push him.
