BRINGING HOPE & HEALING THROUGH ART 2
Hello dear supporters! I want to take a moment to express my great appreciation for your help in this campaign! What a great opportunity.
I want to address a concern that was brought to me today. While I do not know the details of the opposition (I asked, but details were not provided), the response was along the lines of, "Oh no! Not graffiti! Haitians are so poor! I've given money to missions in Haiti and our church sends groups there, and there's much better ways of knowing what Haitians need than studying graffiti."
Here's my condensed response to that broken into some key points:
1. This is not a study to encourage or discourage graffiti and street art, but simply to evaluate what exists and attempt to rightly deduct how graffiti is seen and "read" in Haiti.
2. When we look at this from a Western perspective, we automatically miss a lot of potential to "hear" the Haitian needs from their own voices. If we assume that all graffiti is vandalism, we forget that it's simply a form of public art which exists everywhere and in all cultures. We fear what we don't know.
3. As I've previously posted about, the Haitian culture is an oral-based culture. Communication is not generally made in literary form. Writing on walls is done by everyone from politicians, police, property and business owners, and artists, and is an important part of the tapestry of the culture.
4. Countless mission groups and NGOS are NOT working in Haiti. I don't care how much money you give or how many trips you make, Haiti is not improving. This means we're missing something and need to reevaluate.
5. My research has been widely accepted and received by enthusiasm as unique and needed. I believe I have discovered some important areas through the past couple of years of research which better help to understand and therefore the nation of Haiti.
6. Haiti does not have art galleries or museums. The streets serve such a function, and the street art is really beautiful. It is absolutely important.
Thanks for listening!
Born Zimbabwe Retired Interests: Current affairs, Research, Arts appreciation, Art Glass, Fashion, Geography, Antiques, Travel
8 年Graffiti art should by now be well recognised as a valid medium of artistic expression, It is valued & treasured in many countries worldwide. Specifically the work of Banksy and others have brought graffiti to a world stage, a world audience and appreciation. In UK everytime a new Banksy appears it hits headlines & TV News.