Addonis Parker brings faith, fatherhood and resilience to Opa-locka’s ARC

Addonis Parker’s “Elevation” is a colorful cacophony of disjointed images, a pictorial diary, a journey back in time. In it there is a man who walks with a sense of pride and purpose.  Smartly dressed, he carries a bookbag over both shoulders and wears a tie kissed by a sun setting in the sky.

It’s obvious that this man is going places.

“I took maybe 10 years out of my life, and I put it in a painting,” says Parker, a Miami muralist.

“Elevation”  is replete with a mélange of symbols.

Addonis Parker cites his work “Elevation” as one of his favorites pieces and is part of the exhibition “Still We Rise: The Art of Addonis Parker” at The ARC in Opa-locka. (Photo courtesy of Addonis Parker)

Pick one and you will find yourself tumbling down a rabbit hole of memories and meaning.

Let’s start with the man’s timepiece.

“If you look at it and zoom in on his watch you see it’s almost 12 o’clock,” points out Parker.

“I’m not saying it’s the end of time, but the Bible says it’s the beginning of sorrow.”

The backpack, he says, holds a set of blueprints, the symbolical plans for his life.

“And if you see the part of his leg; His leg is concrete and it’s heavy, but he’s ripping it off the building. That’s an old building. He’s leaving the old behind and going to the new.”

The piece is also a spiritual testimony.

“He’s holding a brick in his hand. if you look at it and zoom in to the brick, it has cracks and stuff. But if you zoom all the way in, you see the cracks are spelling out J- E-S-U-S.”

Hallelujah.

“Elevation” he says is one of his favorites pieces and part of the exhibit “Still We Rise: The Art of Addonis Parker” at The ARC in Opa-locka.

Addonis Parker is the first artist-in-residence for OneUnited Bank. (Photo courtesy of Addonis Parker)

What began as an art project that Parker steered ten years ago, has blossomed into a longstanding partnership, where Parker has now spent a decade as OneUnited Bank’s artist in residence, a unique collaboration.

In 2015 the bank unveiled “Thunder & Enlightening,” a 550-square foot mural at its Miami branch.

(RELATED: ARTSPEAK: The Portraits of Addonis Parker)

The piece was the result of the bank’s OneUnited Mural Project which paired Parker with 21 students in a four-month apprenticeship where they not only received his guidance on the research and development of the piece, but also received a $250 stipend, a OneUnited Bank account and a financial literacy course.

“His whole involvement with our community outreach was so successful that we thought about what else could we do with Addonis?,” says Teri Williams, president and chief operating officer of OneUnited Bank, America’s largest Black owned bank.

When they realized that they could revamp some extra space at its Miami branch, the perfect opportunity presented itself. The second floor, which had been vacant for 20 years, was then transformed into an art creative space and studio. Having art on demand was something that OneUnited Bank was willing to explore and the possibilities were endless. This included Parker’s pieces being featured on a series of debit cards for the bank.

Parker’s art is featured on 10 OneUnited Bank debit cards. (Photo courtesy of Addonis Parker)

“The reality is that most businesses use art to communicate messages,” says Williams.

“And really, it sort of grew organically from there where we finally came to the conclusion that we really wanted to create this artist in residence program and have him on site to really instill some of the messages of his work.”

Some of those themes are prominently displayed throughout the exhibit. This includes the message of unity and hope.

“I have colors that normally won’t go together, they clash, but the way I put them together, that’s actually a subliminal message to where, how humanity can be mixed and how different cultures can come together and make a masterpiece,” explains Parker.

Another message that he wants to explore is the importance of men playing an active role in the lives of their children. There are few things the passionate and proud father of five can think of that are more important.

“Fatherhood is important to me because it transcends to other things, other aspects of your life, and  it’s a responsibility that I think every man should carry,” says Parker.

“My Soul is an Anchor.” Addonis Parker’s pieces confronts social injustice and celebrates Black culture.
(Photo courtesy of Addonis Parker)

And as he touches on different themes, he hopes that others will take the opportunity to stop by and take a look at the exhibit.

“My message is true, and it’s different, but it’s real, because it relates to everybody in my environment, it relates to people that are not in my environment, and it relates to different cultures too, because everybody likes good art.”

WHAT: “Still We Rise: The Art of Addonis Parker”

WHERE: The ARC, 675 Ali Baba Ave., Opa-locka

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays through Saturday, Aug. 30.

COST: Free

INFORMATION: addonisparker.com and tennorthgroup.com

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