Studio Kit

Showing posts with label whitewashed. Show all posts

Catch up time!!

First of all, as promised, I'll tell you about the meaning behind each of the elements that were part of my Travyvon Martin piece; and then I'll tell you all the news!

So, here goes!

The brick background represents several things: a metaphorical walls:

walls that keep us out
walls that keep us in
walls that prevent us from seeing
walls that keep us from knowledge
walls that prevent us from feeling

The colourful patchwork of the wall represents the life that is lost - not only Trayvon Martin's but all of the people: women, men and children whose lives are lost

through death
through lack (of education, equal opportunity, and the like)
through waste (imprisonment, drugs, apathy)

The wall is then whitewashed, because that is what we so often do, as a society, and as individuals when we cover things up, or brush them under the carpet; when we don't want to see what's right before us, when it's easier not to see, when we simply don't want to see. (And that goes for all of us - people of all ethnicities are guilty of this behaviour.)

And then, there's "making things colourless". And what I mean by that, is when someone says to me "I don't see colour", it is the most infuriating thing - the statement leaves me feeling frustrated and blocked, because "nice people" say it - or at least, people who think they're "nice" people. But it's not "nice" to not see colour.

If you don't see colour, you don't see me.(a global me, representing all oppressed populations). You don't see the individual and institutional racism that is pressed upon me, you don't see what imperils me and you don't see the ways that you contribute to it OR the ways you can help.

If you "don't see colour" you're a part of the problem, not the solution,.

You're whitewashing.

When I heard the recording of George Zimmerman that night, and I heard him say as he left his car: "These assholes, they always get away." my heart swelled with fear for my own boys. Mr. Zimmerman's statement is indicative of so many things, but the two things that stand out the most to me are that his use of "these assholes" indicate to me that he already had his mind made up about Trayvon (and by extension, my sons, my brothers, myself); that we are criminals or potential criminals, unwanted, a danger, a threat.

And by saying "they always get away"; he was implying that THIS time - it wasn't going to happen.

The circles near Trayvon's head - yes, they're a halo. Not because Trayvon's a hero or a martyr or a saint, but because to me, he represents innocence, needlessly sacrificed. And that seemed best represented by a halo.

The clock represents time: the passing of it, the seeming fruitlessness of our fight through it and the fact that as time relentlessly goes on, nothing changes.

The clock being on it's side represents broken time. Trayvon's time being ended, and a call for all of us to end what caused his death. Not only George Zimmerman, the events of that night, and his gun; but the deeper issues that allowed (caused?) those things to happen.

The names in the clock are of course, four of the black children who have died from 1955 to 2006, and whose death's caused an uproar and calls for justice and change, and yet, here we are still. I hand stitched those names - in fact, all of the red and black stitching was hand done, and done roughly for the following reasons:

1. I wanted it to look like someone young did it as a kind of "in memoriam"

2. I wanted it to look like someone emotionally distraught did it

3. More than any of that, I wanted it to look like a human being did it - I wanted imperfection and roughness and human fallibility, as we all are, in this world together.

The jagged lines are gunshot.

Trayvon himself (done in encaustic) represents not only himself but all of our youth of all ethnicities, and the red wax is of course, hyper-real blood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now for the news!

I have ten new pieces (TEN!) which will be exhibited at the Rochester Contemporary Art Centre, in June. (I'll show them to you when it's over.)

My Trayvon Martin piece drew the attention of Susan Shie, who contacted me and asked me to be part of her group called Fiber Artists for Hope, who exhibit internationally and create fiber art to provoke thoughtful dialogue, instigate positive social change and promote the pursuit of justice and equality. I am currently in the process of remaking the piece as it has to be about ten times bigger than it is (lol); but it will be in an exhibit called "American Spring: A Cause For Justice" which will travel the world for two years. I will also be producing other work for the group for other, upcoming international exhibitions.

My piece called, Passage (one of my very first art quilts), will be a featured prop in a play in Philadelphia, with acknowledgement in the playbill and to be used as cover art for the playbill! But I also had to make THAT one bigger. (And the take away from this is, class? lol)

And last, but not least, I've been asked to join the International Quilt Challenge group - a group I wanted to join for quite some time!

Phew! Now do you see why I've been so busy?

See you soon! xo