Danny Simmons, an artist who has invented his own painting style called “Neo-African Abstract Expressionism,” draws inspiration from comic art, Salvador Dalí, and Cuban painter Wifredo Lam. Using bold colors in his aesthetically unique paintings and mixed-media works, Simmons transcends the canvas with his multifaceted talents as a writer, poet, and philanthropist. Read more about this talented individual on queens1.one.
Early Years
Daniel Simmons Jr. was born on August 17, 1953, in Queens to a history professor who loved poetry and an amateur artist and teacher. He studied social work at New York University and earned a master’s degree in public finance at Long Island University in Brooklyn. After working for a while at the Bureau of Child Welfare, he left his job to pursue art full-time. In 2012, Simmons received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from his alma mater, Long Island University. Influenced by his mother’s love for art and his father’s passion for poetry, Simmons cultivated his creativity and expressed himself artistically.
Interestingly, Danny’s brother, Russell Simmons, is a renowned hip-hop producer who built a business empire spanning music, film, fashion, and Broadway events. However, Russell’s reputation was later tainted by allegations of sexual misconduct. Another brother, Joseph Simmons, also achieved fame. Known by his stage name Run, he is a rapper, producer, DJ, actor, and television personality, as well as a founding member of the influential hip-hop group Run-D.M.C.
Art with African Motifs
Danny Simmons is an abstract expressionist painter with a unique method: he creates his works in complete silence and isolation, allowing intellectual and spiritual influences to guide the process. His pieces often incorporate symbols from Native American and African cultures. As the founder of “Neo-African Abstract Expressionism,” Simmons revitalizes traditional African motifs previously used in modernism, including dots, textiles, and tribal symbols.
Simmons’ paintings are celebrated across the United States and have been exhibited in France, the Netherlands, and Ghana. His works are featured in the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Brooklyn Museum, Chase Manhattan Bank, Deutsche Bank, and more. Simmons’ art is highly sought after by collectors and celebrities, including music executive Lyor Cohen, filmmaker and producer Stan Lathan, music producer Andre Harrell, actor Ron Perlman, banker Olivier Sarkozy, and actor Will Smith. His paintings also appear in poetry books. Additionally, Simmons is an avid collector of African art and comic books.
Other Ventures
Together with his brothers Russell and Joseph, Danny founded the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, which provides underserved youth with access to art and artistic education. Alongside Russell, he also co-created Def Poetry Jam, a spoken-word poetry television series that aired on HBO from 2002 to 2007. Spoken-word poetry, or performance poetry, transforms poetic readings into theatrical events. The show featured both renowned and up-and-coming spoken-word poets. At the end of each episode, Russell Simmons would appear to thank the audience. Although the show didn’t explicitly include poetry slams, it is often associated with that genre, where the performance is as crucial as the content.
In 2004, Simmons published the novel Three Days as the Crow Flies, set in the art scene of 1980s New York. The story follows Crow Shade, a Black drug addict who steals three paintings and a manuscript, attempting to sell them as his own creations. Along the way, Crow encounters eccentric art-world characters and ultimately discovers his own talent for poetry and painting. Despite the fantastical elements and exaggerated characters, the novel provides insight into the art community of that era.
Simmons also published a collection of art and poetry, I Dreamed My People Were Calling But I Couldn’t Find My Way Home (2007). In 2015, he moved to Philadelphia, where he opened the Rush Arts Philadelphia gallery a year later. The gallery’s debut exhibition featured works by artists from both Philadelphia and New York, exploring the intersection of visual art and social activism. Topics included the Occupy Wall Street movement and Black Lives Matter. Within a year, the gallery’s first floor was entirely dedicated to exhibitions. Rush Arts Philadelphia offers numerous opportunities for local artists and curators while also providing educational courses.