Jerome AB

Masculine Ken on the Secret We Share, 2018

With spoken word by Precious Okoyomon, illustrations by Neil Gilks and Katie Armstrong

In an attempt to heal, Ken loses his digital self in a maddening research spell on stigmas around mental illnesses, inflicted upon/within ourselves in poc communities and by the other; ~white professionals~ resting on the laurels of institutionalized racism, to sift through the truths found in the misinformation of overstimulation, toxic masculinity, prayer and balance.

Length: 14:30

#MASCULINEKEN is an ongoing performative series featuring an expressionless humanoid character of unintelligible African origins portrayed by Jerome AB and extensions thereof, all dubbed Masculine Ken. In these pieces, Masculine Ken observes and confronts various psychological defense mechanisms, processes and falsified intrapersonal realities defined by (in)human(e) exchanges through movement and visual audio manipulation.

Masculine Ken on the Secret We Share v.3 was presented as a short film curated by Alima Lee for the Women’s Center of Creative Work’s ‘Films For Escapism‘ series in response to the first Covid-19 lockdown of 2020. The series also included films by Featuring works by Sarah Nicole Francois, summer fucking mason and Rhea Dillon.

Masculine Ken on the Secret We Share v.2 was presented as a live performance and screening at Navel in Los Angeles as commissioned for the 2018 Queer Biennial.

Masculine Ken on the Secret We Share v.1 was presented as a live performance in a storefront window on Sept 27, 2017 at Catinca Tabacaru Gallery in New York City.