Hi Writely_So,
Thanks! Be on the lookout for ORIENT, the performance. The San Francisco Arts Commission funded it for 2011. More to come.
k~
Simple yet effective. Sometimes that's all it takes. Love it.
I applaud you for taking on a controversial issue and sticking your neck out. But how much do you think your project will make a difference to the people who are most affected by/involved in the recent crimes you mentioned (and many other similar ones who had gone on for years before)?
Will this be similar to outreach/reconciliation efforts after the LA riots, which had been criticized as middle class blacks and middle class Koreans reaching out to each other. Because the people initiating the outreach weren't exactly reflective of the demographics involved in /affected by the riots, some critics did not consider that gesture as entirely relevant to the fundamental conflicts in less advantaged neighborhoods.
So my question is: Who is your target audience? Can you reach them? What kind of change do you hope to bring about?
Recently I had a discussion with a Chinese acquaintance about the robbery-murder of the Chinese engineer. My acquaintance, also an immigrant, felt that the whole issue of "black on Asian crime" was wrongly framed. In his opinion, those same youth might have committed the same crimes even if the victims had not been Asian. Although the Chinese community probably made easier targets due to their general unwillingness to go to police (in his opinion), my acquaintance felt that that 'racial prejudice' on the part of the perpetrators wasn't the main problem. The real problem, he believed, was the under-education and lack of parental supervision of youth. And until that is solved, the core issues of young people attacking the elderly and the vulnerable probably won't go away.
I'm not at all suggesting that you shouldn't be doing what you're doing, though. I hope your project stimulates discussion and brings positive change.
Dude, keep it up. You totally have my approval.
Hi Anon,
Left-wing, perhaps. Rubbish, no.
k~
Absolute left-wing rubbish. Asians - stop hugging the black guys; it looks ridiculous.
Frank,
This is clearer to me and inspiring. Thank you for all your determined, deliberate and eagle-eyed comments.
k~
Hey Kevin...well, evidently it takes courage to do this...there seem to be some folks who are simply committed to anger and destruction...there may be no point in suggesting a new paradigm in those instances ..they are going to ignore the possibility of change...seeming to have no desire to support a sense of community....but although I don't think it is necessarily the critic's responsibility to suggest new approaches to an artist...I'll give an aesthetic theory and a possible solution...first, we might have to set the ground rule that art here is considered a means of communicating ideas from one sentient consciousness to another, second, the artist is not responsible for how the public responds to or understands or misunderstands the art work because interpretation of art is not just about the artist's intentions, interpretation and response are as much about the character of the interpreter(s) and their ability to understand, empathize and extend themselves (somebody ought to beat down the guy who established this site..?) as much as it is about what the artist wants to achieve for or with his or her audience.....
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So in initiating this site with a creative work grounded in negation derived from an antagonistic third cultural entity when trying to create common ground between two groups experiencing a contrived tension seems to seek the departure of its mission from a premise antithetical to forming a sense of community that is inclusive or positive. Perhaps an animated work morphing with digital imagery the complexions and bodies and hair textures of diverse people which may show the overwhelming similarities of all humanity ( two eyes, two nostrils, similar spacing of features, physical symmetry, "blacks" with almond shaped eyes, "Asians" with naturally curly hair (yes they exist), things that show our common humanity, families, mixed families, anything emphasizing shared traits might be a beginning..but the problem with your question and my response is that you have created a work of art and I am only offering a limited description of a possible work of art...the two things are not comparable or presented equitably in a forum such as this, so I won't continue to try to formulate the response in this format because any result will be unsatisfactory...and I don't feel that I should be obligated to offer a solution simply because I offer a critique of the problem...that is not to say that I CANNOT offer a solution..but the one thing does not entail the other and I would have to, in fact, offer an alternative artwork in order to reconceptualize the problem...when in fact..I like and enjoy the artwork that has been presented...and the open ended email request that came to me was for feedback not to create my own work of art...so trying to shift the parameters of the challenge established in this discussion to me. isn't going to be an option I will entertain..but my critique in viewing what was presented is simply this suggestion that in trying to create or reinforce a sense of shared experience or communal feeling, I would not have chosen (and this is just my personal approach and is not necessarily a critique in a sense, but is just more of a comment) to default to the misperceptions of some anonymous false anthropological garble from a misguided past...but that is a completely legitimate approach and I understand how one might choose to start there...but something else , some other point of departure not grounded in a shared negativity would be more interesting for me, and probably more difficult to initiate...and that is an artist's problem...a creative problem,,, a communicative problem....or not a problem..a challenge...and judging from some of the messages here already, your work in trying to create a sense of community and alleviate hate seems to really be cut out for you...and for your audience...Race discussion are hard...people often dig into entrenched, closed positions because Race has been represented as a fundamental element of identity in this culture...I think that holding onto that myth is the mistake deriving from the aftermath of the hateful ideas coming from that false anthropology and will prevent progress...anyway...Good luck! Not certain if I will post again....I'm one of those individuals who if people are really determined to hate each other...I am willing to leave them to it...because they simply don't want to change...and I certainly can't change them...and consequently see absolutely no point in trying... but, I hope you will keep trying....
FM
Sambro,
I can't disagree more.
k~
Frank,
I'm talking about art, not science. We are on two different wavelengths. You're talking about new models. Give me an example in art that considers what you think I'm after in this site. You offer critiques but no specific alternatives.
k~
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