the art of war
-
-
Creator: Kevin Vancio (originally published in Adbuster)Key elements of this poster include the street art aesthetic, financial commentary and association with Martin Luther King, Jr.Playing on the popular stencil art movement, the overlay of MLK looks as if it’s been done in spray paint. The Occupy Movement is thus utitlizing a popular (populist) artistic trend in their own work. Also, associations with this form of art are personal freedom of expression, detail-oriented work, ownership, and public space.Finances were a primary concern of the Occupy Movement in relation to Wall Street. The imagery in this poster includes the newspaper finance section, the stock market statistics. Specifically, the red and green coloring are significant and could have multiple meanings including stopping and going, being in the red in debt, green associated with money.Martin Luther King, Jr. did not necessarily work to bring change to financial markets. In fact, he is usually not associated with finances at all. Yet, this poster connects ideals of social justice, freedom, racism and systematic discrimination to policy change. -
We are not Alone: Images of Hope
Photos and stories by Carlos Javier Ortiz
Tommie (left) and Pamela Bosley (back) , whose 18-year-old son, Terrell, was shot to death in April 2006 in the their church parking lot of his in the Chicago of South Side.
While old photographs fill out our mental image of the past, the photographs being taken now transform what is present into a mental image, like the past. Cameras establish an inferential relation to the present (reality is known by its traces), provide an instantly retroactive view of experience. (Sontag, 1977, pp. 166-167)
This photograph harkens back to Civil Rights era photographs. The choice to print this photograph black and white contributes to this aesthetic. The impassioned man to the right yelling is positioned in such a way as to appear to be leading the protest, recalling images of protest leaders and great historical figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr.
While this image took place in 2012 and captures a relatively small protest march through inner city Chicago, this event is placed into a greater historical context. In this way, this photograph exemplifies Sontag’s observation regarding the effect of a camera in bringing the essence of history and the past to a recent occurrence.
-
Good.is on Violence
Currently, Breaking the Cycle and Peace Over Violence are two outstanding members of the GOOD community.
Peace over Violence targets a male audience with messages on ending violence, specifically domestic violence. Their primary platforms include Twitter, Vimeo video campaigns and informational posts on the GOOD website. Their #EngagingMen campaign communicates the need for men within community to step up, take responsibility and treasure women. In relation to GOOD, Peace over Violence works toward the message: I am good at building healthy relationships, families and communities.
Engaging Men: I Need A Man from Peace Over Violence on Vimeo.
Breaking the Cycle works with GOOD toward the goal: I am good at <—correction: We are good at ‘Empowering Youth to End Domestic Violence’
Break the Cycle addresses the great need among high school students for education and resources regarding healthy dating, love, relationships and recovery from abuse.
-
The Century 16 Shooting memorial RIP
TAKEN AND EDITED BY ERYNN COLEMAN AKA ThePhotonerd1
-
Teen shot to death at playground overnight: http://guncrisis.org/2012/09/08/teen-shot-to-death-at-playground-overnight/ #GunCrisis
-
Gunmen kill man overnight in Olney: http://guncrisis.org/2012/09/06/gunmen-kill-man-overnight-in-olney/
-
Man shot to death in Logan overnight, near the scene of another gun murder last week: http://guncrisis.org/2012/08/26/man-shot-to-death-in-logan-overnight-near-the-scene-of-another-gun-murder-last-week/#GunCrisis
The scenes of gun violence almost always become memorials, places of remembrance for the lives lost. This sight is plastered with humble cardboard boxes covered with signatures, mementos on the ground, some flowers and bottles of different sorts. Also, the graffiti on the wall is striking. The area appears run down; yet, in the aftermath of violence, it becomes sacred.
-
At least 140 people shot during August in Philadelphia:http://guncrisis.org/2012/09/03/at-least-140-people-shot-during-august-in-philadelphia/ #GunCrisis
The young men seen in this photo are affirming their collective identity as gang members. Gang signs themselves could be considered a form of visual art in that they depict identity, call forth action from members of the gang community and also exclude those who do not identity with the symbol. Gang signs represent ideals - ideals that drive the lives of these young men.
-
Juxtaposing art and violence, this image claims that art itself is a weapon. It begs the question, a weapon against what?
Also of note is the American flag in the background. Art is not cultureless, or even nationless. This image and this text are particularly placed in front of an American flag. American ideals value war. A value for democracy is linked to a value for victory and even, dominance.
It could be argued that art is finding against dominant, conformity, mainstream society, personal loss, and even, violence itself.
As much as art can be a healing force and a means of reconciliation, this image challenges those notions by presenting art itself as violent, as a weapon.
