The creative genius known affectionately as Mark “Kurupt” Stoddart

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

I want to take this time to introduce to the community, the Classic Man segment, which was inspired by our very popular segment Woman Empowered. For the last few years, Toronto Caribbean Newspaper has highlighted the wonderful work that our women of Caribbean descent have been doing in the community. We decided that it was time to start paying homage to some of the incredible work that our men of Caribbean descent are doing as well. Images and portrayals that are currently in the media do not highlight the best of our community, but the worst, and it is time that we changed that. We would like to take this time to introduce to you our first Classic Man, representing Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Mark Stoddart.

“As an artist, it is my duty to give back. “Mark Stoddart

The Creative genius known affectionately as Mark “Kurupt” Stoddart, found a way to synthesize his passion for music, and sports, with his formidable spirit for social activism. His work continues to reflect his personal commitment to recognizing the struggles, and accomplishments of African artists and athletes, who have broken color barriers and have remained symbols of fortitude and tenacity.

Mark Stoddart was born in the township of Nottingham, United Kingdom, and moved to Scarborough, Ontario at the age of seven. From an early age, Mark had two loves: art and sport. These two loves followed him through elementary school, right into high school where his love for art continued to grow. It is fitting that Mark’s nickname “Kurupt” was actually spawned from an incident that occurred in his 1988-1989 high school art class. Mark and his art teacher at the time, had become locked in a contentious discussion, and during this disagreement, the teacher responded to Mark by calling him corrupt. Mark knew that this teacher had a silent vendetta against him, but after the insult, he lashed out and was suspended for threatening the teacher.

Like any mother dedicated to her child, Mark’s mom was not having any of it. She defended Mark, and told the school administration, “My son has never been corrupt!”  Thankfully, he also had another mentor Mr. Rouillard who stood by him and supported him through this situation. This only gave Mark time to really begin to think about conflict and the word ‘corrupt’; he found himself in the word by reflecting on the fact that two negatives can make a positive, and just like that, his alias “Kurupt” was born. He gives credit to his mom for the name and is thankful for the story that he can now share from that experience.

Mark is infamous for his 40@40 Collection that is a collection of 40 paintings of prominent and significant African musicians and athletes. His goal at that time was to have all the paintings completed before his 40^th birthday. Mark has also produced a series of wonderful paintings focused on jazz musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and John Coltrane, rhythm and blues artist Ray Charles and rock icon Jimi Hendrix. Not neglecting his love for sports, Mark included a segment titled “Homage: Celebrating the Journey” featuring legendary athletes including Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Satchel Paige, and Fergie Jenkins. The paintings depicted the familiar stories of iconic black athletes who broke color barriers and came to stand as symbols of American and Canadian culture.

Refusing to stop there, Mark introduced “The Mark Stoddart Collection” which showcased some of his sensational pieces and limited edition t-shirt designs. The showcase included pieces from his “Voices of the Past” collection, which paid tribute to various black musicians, athletes, and political figures throughout history. It featured iconic figures including legendary boxer Cassius Clay, baseball great Jackie Robinson, and political activist Kathleen Cleaver. His portfolio of paintings received widespread acclaim, which eventually led to his talents being showcased on BRAVO TV’s series “Star Portraits.”

Just when Toronto thought that he could not top his recent ascendancy, Mark launched his brand LIWI68 in 2010. Something that initially started out as a thought and a pastime has now established itself as a successful entrepreneurial venture officially known as LIVE IT WEAR IT, the brand features independent collections made up of John Carlos 68, Live It Wear It, and Mark Stoddart. With over a thousand items sold within the first year of operation, LIWI68 has solidified its brand as an independent retailer and making a huge impact in the online retail industry.

In his lasting dedication to nurture and support the creative minds of young people, Mark has wholeheartedly collaborated with other professional artists and art educators, in developing and sustaining mentorship programs in Toronto. One such program, Inner City Angels, is an award-winning charity that engages young learners, utilizing narrative inspired arts. He has committed to providing an approach to the arts that explore the world around us and integrates art with learning. Mark has also volunteered his time to work with R.I.S.E (Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere), a multidisciplinary collective of young artists and activists. Operating primarily out of the east side of Scarborough, Mark has worked alongside R.I.S.E to successfully connect with youth from all corners of the GTA.

As a visionary, he knows that there is a lot more expected of him, and he is cognizant to the fact that his work will continue to impact people’s lives. You never know what to expect from this highly respected enigma; what is known is that he has made his mark forever in history.

“We need to leave something behind, a legacy of who we are.  The only way is to give back so that people can follow that blueprint.”  Mark Stoddart