This semester, we have the honor of profiling some of the incredible professional artists involved in the TDM spring production. Our first artist spotlight shines on Darien Carr! Darien worked alongside Emily Majors to design the installation in the Smith Center for I Have a Door Up There. Check out more of Darien’s work at https://linktr.ee/dariencarr.
What inspires me as an artist and creative?
These days, for sustenance, I’m often returning to James Baldwin’s essay on Creative Process, Earl Sweatshirt’s Some Rap Songs and Le Corbusier’s Carpenter Center. Each reminds me that knowledge exists in lineages as opposed to singular events, which provides a sense of ground[ing]. Each one also embodies a resolution of creative expression I’d like to strive towards.
What excites you about this original TDM production, I Have A Door Up There?
It’s such a wonderful series of collapses! Theater collapsing into architecture collapsing into installation art collapsing into augmented reality collapsing into lighting collapsing into web design— the production is a compelling blurring of mediums that speaks to the power of collaboration and thinking beyond disciplines. It’s an approach to creativity that adds kinds of complexity needed to talk about dense, emotional topics, like guilt in an American context.
How has it been co-creating with TDM Students and the Collaborating Artists?
Fun! At some point I saw this Rick Rubin interview, and he was talking about choosing his college major using the logic of what seemed the most fun— I think there’s a lot of wisdom in that. It’s the same for this project, working with the students and collaborating artists was always a good time, which made the creativity and learning involved that much more fluid and natural. 
What projects are you working on next?
This summer I’m doing a research and design project about race, architecture, housing and community building. I’ve also been back in music production mode, working on releasing another record and, also, on getting more collaborations in the works.
Headshot Photo Credit: Diana Levine