I stepped one foot in to the forestation
only to have the thought of following the Nation
on this uncontentional death spree.
With my hand on rifle
I stifle behind a cloak of green and brown paint
Trying to keep from becoming faint
I repudiate any humanity being taught
Emulating the video game played by youth
With no strings attached, I plan to attack
any living thing that moves.
I take a moment to check my clock
while avoiding the rock that stand in my way.
But the fear of killing a dear is this:
What if it was the opposite?
What if this animal came in to my house,
and killed my spouse with no regards of my life?
With my instrument designed to deliver kill shots
Gave this thought of instant empathy.
Finally coming to my senses
exiting gaming fences just to think:
Damn, if I didn't kill it something or someone else
will.
But it still continues to live.
An Excerpt from the poem:
"I repudiate any humanity taught,
Emulating video games played by youth.
With no strings attached I tend to attack
any living thing that moves."
At birth we're taught to treat every man, woman, child, or animal, with the same respect as ourselves. William Ralph Inge said it best when he stated that: "We have enslaved the rest of the animal creation, and have treated our distant cousins in fur and feathers so badly that beyond doubt, if they were able to formulate a religion, they would depict the Devil in human form" Thinking deeply about this very common, and reoccurring problem believes that Igne speaks the truth on the matter. Humans have become the death and destruction of innocent animals living in our Great American woodlands. With no regret, humans have trespassed in to the habitats of animal communities and one by one took the life of out fur covered family members. The NMS project three was inspired by the class's visit to the Columbia featured exhibit Loaded. Using various forms of art and media, artist conveyed the universal message of the hunting of animals as a form of entertainment. One piece that really caught my attention was a piece that was simply a white canvas with multicolored letter (using the materials: Leather, cotton, wool, and a plastic and fabric mixture). The letters to someone who didn't view the piece deeply would only see: "designedtodeliverkillshots," formed in a row of four. When viewed differently the piece reads: "Designed to deliver kill shots." This is a representation of how weapons for game hunting isn’t designed to stun the animals, or to merely wound them to the point that they could still function in their environment. Its meant to kill them, shed blood, and make it easier to mound them atop our Jeeps and SUVs. As a child, I grew up in the south. My family on my fathers side lived in very wooded areas where hunting was a major sports that was highly respected by the men. Hound dogs of about fifteen were kept in the back yard of my grandmother’s neighbor’s home. The Jackson was the type of elderly people who knew nothing more than southern life, and were content with the lifestyle. Mr. Jackson, an experienced black hunter, was mostly proud of the prizes of rabbits and deer that was eventually skinned and cooked my Mrs. Jackson, the proud housewife. It never struck me that animals were harmed in such a non-humane manner. The long wood finished rifles didn’t strike me as instruments of fatality. The pot sitting on the porch covered in a white plastic grocery bag, didn’t scream innocence animals to me. As an adult the true began to set in while watching films and documentaries about PETA, and other anti-hunting groups. We’re known for being the superior species, but I don’t believe that means harming the ones under you as a form a game. I felt that this exhibit spoke a lot to unfamiliar ears. The Sean Slifer portion exhibit, in addition to the in class discussion, brought to my attention also the false representation of large and “dangerous” animals and how conquering the beast is a sign of strength. This thought has been display in early literature and art, and created heroes like Beowulf and Hercules. Killing an inferior was an achievement only the brave and strong could succeed. The question that pops in my mind is: I don’t see killing of a harmless, unfamiliar, or inferior animals doesn’t show a sign of heroic traits; I only see traits of a bully of the environment.
I rushed through my apartment like a fiend trying to grab items to take on our group adventure to the historic Lincoln Park. Having to meet Danny and Chloe at the redline stop, I knew I had no time to slow down. We were to travel to Lincoln Park and diminish the pre-judgmental stereotypes of the area. It was just weeks ago that Fereshteh Toosi, our instructor, assigned us as a group to explore an unfamiliar part of Chicago. In all honesty, I wasn’t too pleased about getting another project on top of the many others I had lined up; but then again, who is ever? The next day I had received an e-mail from one of my group members, Chloe, who helped initiated suggestions on which area we were to explore. Ideas flew around like DePaul, Logan Square, and (being the flame that I am) Belmont, but after an infinite amount of contemplations of a location, we decided on Lincoln Park an area were we had very little knowledge of. The thing about Lincoln Park was that we have possibly seen or heard about the area, but had never grasped the full essence on why people have decided to live there, who and what they are, or even if its as proper and stuck up as they say.
During the class time given us to discuss the Artist Mediums that were required to complete the project, we set forth to create a flag. The flag was to symbolize each part of what makes up the community of Lincoln Park, and eliminating all the stereotypes the class might have had as well. Our creation was to be made out of recycled materials that were incorporated with the community that also included a piece of area.
We stepped off the train at Fullerton in both awe and confusion for we didn’t know which way to go to start our project. The area was full of people of all age groups, cultural backgrounds, and motivations. The first approach was to start to our right to see were all the action was; also to start our journey through is unknown section that was in front of us. We spotted trash the first few steps of the way from the station. Beer bottles, cigarette butts, and cans laid along the sides of the street, covered in wet brown fallen leaves. To our right, we spotted a crumbled flyer for an event supported by one of the local residents. Through the gates of a neighborhood sitting across from the DePaul student center, we saw signs that explained a lot about the region we were in .A “Children at Play” sign was hidden behind two large garbage cans that Danny opened up to view what the resident might have thrown out. As we walk further in to the neighborhood we saw two handicapped citizens crossing in front of a sign facing the streets signaling the awareness of the crossing handicap. Our progression through the town was met by the large amount of people walking their pets through the main square with an intersection in the midst of about five or six cross sections. Continuing along the sidewalk, we took photos of the surrounding area sparking the idea of a collage of photos making up what we had came upon. While taking photos of the establishments, restaurants, and boutiques we came upon, we spoke to one of the residents who agreed to let us take a photo of her and her dog. Speaking of dogs, a dog park was squeezed behind a set of apartments, were owners were thrown Frisbees at anxious dogs. Our adventure cam to a close at we approached the Redline station with a camera filled with our encounters of the day.
The real group aspect of the project came in when the deadline crept up. Text messages flew from phone to phone as Chloe, Danny, and I attempted to complete the project simultaneously from our buildings. Danny heroically took the digital camera and printed the photos off at the local CVS pharmacy. Chloe took it upon herself to venture back to Lincoln Park and take a final amount of pictures; as for myself, I completed the photo flag Danny had started the day before.
From this experience of our project, we’ve learned that the stereotypes of the “overly proper high-class area,” to be untrue. Lincoln Park is a dog friendly, and people friendly, area that is a mixture of old American values that is embraced by the new generation of people. The residents who live there are mostly made up of DePaul students who enjoy the area their campus is in. Lincoln Park isn’t just another part of Chicago, but a community all of it’s own.
For my project of Composing a Self, I'm thinking about focusing on stereotypes. Yes I realize it is somewhat cliche, however, I'm going to in a totally different form and fashion.
"I always feel like somebody's watching me."
Four strangers.
-Each wake up similarly and go the same morning routine.
The four consist of: One African American, one Latino, one Homosexual, and one whose gender queer(cross-dresser).
The film will focus on each stranger as an individual. As well as, each as a whole.
The African American male: Smart, successful, and driven. However, faces racism and pre-judgment through his day.
The Latino: Student, very urban, and low class; falsely arrested because he matches the typical low class Latino criminal.
The Homosexual: Noticeably gay, and gets beating up by a group of men for no reason.
The Cross-dresser: Treated like he has a disease, always gets strange looks in restrooms and in public places. Doesn't get treated like a human.
All of these strangers are stereotyped, and has been treated wrongly because of appearance. The end of the film each stranger somehow cross paths and gives each other a strange look. Each one a look of disapproval.
fade out.
Was there any moment that you felt that it wasn't a good idea to write the book?
As a visual artist, why didn't you give the pictures more detail?
Were you originally against the merge of Persepolis I & II in the film version?
What motivated you to write a graphic novel about your adolescent years?
If you imagined yourself walking down the street, how would you illustrate your appearance and identity? Would you start with how your hair looks? Your presence when you see yourself approach someone? Or perhaps you would look at the style of clothing you have on? It’s been said that a persons outer identity determines whether or not another person would approach them; but what about your inner self? I see identity as the events and your surroundings that caused you to carry yourself in the fashion that you do. Identity is what makes a person function and survive in the area that they seem to reside in. When building our identity, we come across the identities and images of our peers. We begin to emulate and find similar traits that could possibly make you and your peer compatible. Above all, we even begin to rely on the stars in film and music to determine who we might be in life. As for myself, my identity is complicated. I involuntarily carry so many different identities in one mind. For starters, I'm Black and true Native American; meaning that people love to touch my hair and tell me how soft it is and what I'm mixed with. I'm next a female filmmaker, which is very difficult in a constant male dominant industry. Next, I'm an artist; which means that I'm strange and forever might still be strange, but I can't complain. Lastly, I'm a lesbian. Yes, I said it, Lesbian. This means that I could never be treated like a real woman, and be out of the closet at the same time. This is not necessarily how I perceive myself personally, but it is what it is and it might take a while to change the worlds mind set. As a very open lesbian, the people who are on the outside looking in have given their opinions about who they believe that a lesbian (or even a gay man) is on the inside. For example, I've hear from many people that it’s been believed that I have multiple women inside and outside the building I live in that I have been with. NEVER! It’s actually the opposite. When it comes to the same sex, I get nervous and not know how to approach them, but that not how the outside sees it. Its the first seven seconds in contact that a person gives a solid opinion about a future peer. Sometimes its for the good and sometimes it aggravating. However, who are we to say we haven't done it ourselves, eh?
In all honesty, I really don't have any questions about the syllabus or about semester ahead. I don't feel that I am confused, or baffled by the need for this class. In fact, I might be one of the few that just might understand the reason for this class. New Millennium Studies is about branching out of the box when it comes to practicing your major; leaving the ordinary and diving head first into the pool of diversity. Though some may say differently, we are all artist no matter what our majors are. As artist we must learn to use the other aspects of art, while practicing our own craft. For example, a student in advertising may need the expertise of a photography student and a graphic design student to portray an image in order to sell (or even bash) a certain product. NMS is about connecting in your artistic community, and finding who you are as an artist along the way. So interms of a "Question" that is needed on our first entry:
"Are you ready for the journey ahead?"