Paul Mpagi Sepuya
Paul Mpagi Sepuya is an artist based in Los Angeles.
What artworks would you have/do you have in your drawing room?
To be practical, my drawing room is the whole house. A turn-of-the-20th-century craftsman Los Angeles classic. Two roommates. No fantasies of rooms into which I withdraw, there’s not that much extra space and most of my art (trades) is in boxes unframed but somehow I’ve managed to fit in a lot. Here’s what I have up right now: a painting by Sarah Sarchin, editions by Juliana Huxtable, A.K. Burns and Bruce LaBruce, three paintings by Sam McKinniss, a drawing by Audra Wist, a photo by Tyler Matthew Oyer, a collage by David Gilbert, two paintings by Timothy Hull, a few pieces by Dominic Nurre, a collage by Ivan Lozano, two sculptures by Martyna Szczesna, ceramics by Anabel Juarez and Jackie Rines and a few works of my own that came back framed and unsold from old group shows.
What books would you read/are you reading in your drawing room?
On the desk and tabletops right now are a new monograph from Zanele Muholi, Lorna Simpson’s survey, JoAnn Callis’ “Other Rooms,” a new little book by Jonathan Lyndon Chase, Zoe Leonard’s “Survey,” a fun book called “Vintage Black Glamour,” Justine Kurland’s “Highway Kind,” Kara Walker’s “The Ecstacy of St. Kara,” Carmen Winant’s “My Birth,” “Some Flowers” by Vita Sackville-West, “Radio Imagination” a catalogue from an exhibition inspired by Octavia Butler, and for reading there’s Aruna D’Souza’s “Whitewalling: Art, Race & Protest in 3 Acts,” Gore Vidal’s “Myra Breckenridge” and finally Gary Indiana’s “Thee Month Fever.”
What movies would you watch/are you watching in your drawing room?
I just watched “Logan” from that seemingly never endless X-Men franchise and it was amazing. Other than that, the last thing I’ve been watching is the new season of Issa Rae’s “Insecure” and the entire series of “Star Trek Enterprise.”
What music would you listen to/are you listening to in your drawing room?
Kendrick Lamar “Backstreet Freestyle” and before that Tracy Thorn was just on.
Who would you/do you invite into your drawing room?
All my friends already know the way.
