Estéban Whiteside
Download MP3In this episode of The Truth In This Art, returning guest Esteban Whiteside is back!
Who is Esteban Whiteside: A Durham, North Carolina-based artist, Esteban Whiteside creates bold social commentary through what he calls "concrete oppressionism"—work that confronts American cultural absurdities with childlike aesthetics, parody, and irreverent humor. Working across canvas, wood, and sculpture, his art is both therapy and truth-telling, making heavy subjects digestible through wit and visual directness inspired by artists like Jacob Lawrence.
Esteban talks about his creative evolution since our last conversation, including his new clock series exploring history and revolutions, and how he balances tackling heavy subject matter with abstract work that lets him breathe. We dive into why he uses humor to shame oppression, the colors that make him happy (brilliant blue, yellow, and emerald green), and how his art reflects his personality—chill in person, but uncompromising when it comes to speaking truth. He shares stories about drawing daily lunchbox notes for his daughter that sparked the clock series, unconventional painting techniques (like writing text upside down or left-handed), and why Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series opened the door for him to become an artist.
He reflects on the importance of making art accessible at every price point and staying true to his voice no matter what may come with that.
For updates, follow @estebanwhiteside on Instagram and visit estebanwhiteside.com.
Revisit Esteban's first interview on The Truth In This Art here.
Image courtesy of Esteban Whiteside
Who is Esteban Whiteside: A Durham, North Carolina-based artist, Esteban Whiteside creates bold social commentary through what he calls "concrete oppressionism"—work that confronts American cultural absurdities with childlike aesthetics, parody, and irreverent humor. Working across canvas, wood, and sculpture, his art is both therapy and truth-telling, making heavy subjects digestible through wit and visual directness inspired by artists like Jacob Lawrence.
Esteban talks about his creative evolution since our last conversation, including his new clock series exploring history and revolutions, and how he balances tackling heavy subject matter with abstract work that lets him breathe. We dive into why he uses humor to shame oppression, the colors that make him happy (brilliant blue, yellow, and emerald green), and how his art reflects his personality—chill in person, but uncompromising when it comes to speaking truth. He shares stories about drawing daily lunchbox notes for his daughter that sparked the clock series, unconventional painting techniques (like writing text upside down or left-handed), and why Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series opened the door for him to become an artist.
He reflects on the importance of making art accessible at every price point and staying true to his voice no matter what may come with that.
For updates, follow @estebanwhiteside on Instagram and visit estebanwhiteside.com.
Revisit Esteban's first interview on The Truth In This Art here.
Image courtesy of Esteban Whiteside
The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore).
Host: Rob Lee
Music: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.
Production:
- Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel Alexis
- Edited by Daniel Alexis
- Show Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and Transistor
Photos:
- Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.
- Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.
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Creators and Guests
Host
Rob Lee
The Truth In This Art is an interview series featuring artists, entrepreneurs and tastemakers in & around Baltimore.
Guest
Esteban Whiteside
Esteban Whiteside (b. 1985) is a self-taught painter whose work is based on the intersectionality of street art and politics. A native of Asheville, North Carolina, he began painting as an act of love, which then led to him dedicating more time and research into painting, with an interest in abstraction.
