Post Canvas and Paint: Variations | A Barren Autopsy
a barren autopsy
of ourselves;
the lack of compassion
for a deep sense of lost
and stolen innocence
what do we see
when we look in the mirror
on cold December nights
but the tears of children
falling from our eyes …
As a society we are becoming numb to reason. And as a consequence, we may one day lose our humanity.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Between 02
Between two trees of a different kind….
Where nature and industry collide
Nature and Science….
When thinking about this photo challenge I was drawn to a question, what is the in-between space that can sustain our planet? Where does it exist, and can it be found? And what is the cost of our ignorance; of not knowing how to balance that in-between space with the complexity of our lives on planet Earth? Is the knowledge we seek, in our meditation practice, in the great institutions we build, or in our hopes and dreams? Can it be discovered in our mind’s eye, in the things we believe, or in the progress of science?
In this piece I thought about nature and technology, and how these two sources of energy interact within our lives and with the planet. How these two vital forces; the organic intelligence of nature and the welded composite structure of modern progress collide. Trees are torn down and in their place the monuments of steel rise to the heavens. Our ozone dies, we reach the stars; our rivers run black, the cities grow tall.
Nature dies.
The question is where is the balance that sustains?
I wish I knew the answers to these vital questions. Perhaps you and I, your country and mine, can one day without personal or national agenda sit down at the table and discover the answers.
For the sake our planet, it is the only in-between thing we must do….
Urban Contemplation: 14 – The Industrial Revolution and its Deconstruction
The city series….
The forming of an industrial moment in time
The cities where the industrial revolution was founded….
I remember the period in our American history, when the industrial revolution was coming to an end. I was in my mid-twenties and working as a Process Engineer at the DuPont Company. If you were a young person in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s trying to believe in the American dream, a job with the DuPont Company was a great place to start.
Or so I thought. Little to my knowledge, things were about to get very difficult. Life was going to become very hard. The way in which our society ran and governed its social, civil, economic and political spheres were about to change.
The social agenda of the New Deal that sustained the dreams of many families and individuals would slowly be deconstructed until it (with the hopes of some) would be gone forever.
In the mid-seventies, early 1980’s and in 1991 we had economic recessions of various lengths. They were short, but a tell-tale sign of things to come. In 2001 we had another recession. These four recessions were not as severe as the present recession; however, the factors that led to these five occurrences over time are similar; deregulation, the creation of a “false paper economy” and an insidious construct to shift the wealth from the middle class to the wealthy.
And unfortunately it is working.
I was laid off from my job at DuPont after having worked there for four years. Still emerging from the perception that all you had to do was start at an entry level position with a good company; move up the ladder and retire 30 years later. Remember how your parents or grandparents followed this rule and uplifted themselves into the middle-class? It appears that in 2011, that route to the middle-class is long since gone and not returning any time soon. It is a global world now. It is now a have and have not world that is shattering the dreams of many. It is 146 million Americans in the United States living in poverty or near the poverty line. It is a health care system that is dysfunctional and over-wrought with cost. It is an education system that is mostly for profit (remember when the California State Schools were free). It is a manufacturing sector that barely exists. And it is a corrupt body of government that wants to protect the rich, sustained the rich and become rich, at the expense of the poor.
And the attack is calculated and vicious to the core.
But I love America. With all its faults, it still has the potential to be a great nation. But we must learn from our past, and if possible turn back the hand of time just for a moment. And perhaps in that moment we can have a true political and social conversation, wherein we remember what we fought so hard for—a fair and equal society for all.
This post is in support of all those who participate in the Occupy Wall Street protests in America and around the world.
Penn State and Sexual Abuse: What Does It Say About Who We Are?
Sports and personal integrity
I am a native of Pennsylvania (having been born and raised in Philadelphia), and have over the years felt connected to Penn State and its football program. It was not hard to love Penn State. It was something about their attitude towards winning and the “team concept”. It showed even down to their uniforms; plain with no names and giving no sense of individuality to the players. For years, Penn State has been a testimony to team sport and the higher moral ground when it came to football and academic ethical standards.
Now as I hear the reports of sexual abuse, misconduct, cover-up, and the institutional sanctioned deception and rape of a community, I am outraged. It appears that one individual stood by while an act of gross depravity was perpetrated on a young boy. To think of the fear, the hurt, the humiliation that child and the other children felt pains me and I search for answers. How does a society allow this to happen? The shame and anger of the family of that child, and the others who were violated over the years to come—without question—is agonizing to the core. And that was only the beginning; the denial by Penn State officials, inadequate investigations, and lack of prosecution for all those involved has led to a dark and troublesome scandal. And well it should; we need things to be out in the open. We need to face ourselves.
But what also grieves me are the rioters and those who feel the need to voice their anger at the firing of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. I mean give me a break, Joe Paterno had a moral responsibility (if not legal) to go directly to law enforcement. I do not want to just point the finger at Paterno, because the failure runs deep. But the mob mentality that emerged the other night in defense of Paterno shows the lack of an understanding, and empathy for what the true victims of these acts have endured.
What do you think? How do you feel about the sport mentality, the “good old boys club” especially in the high-end, money-making machine of professional and college sports? And last, but not least, has our society forgot about the victim and what it means to be victimized? And what are the consequences for a society that does not protect its children?
Urban Contemplation: 06 – Dreams that Never Breach the Walls of Sleep
The city series….
Dreams that never breach the walls of sleep….
Urban decay a place of broken dreams
The dreams that search for the freedom from sleep….
Life on the Edge of Nothingness
Remove yourself from the painful past and uncertain future
Sometimes in the waking we often remember that life exist with its
own set of difficulties. It seems as if we are living in perpetual change and in
transitional states of being. We are confronted with interpersonal
relationships that need our undivided attention, support, and unwavering love—while
simultaneously we must seek solutions to a world struggling with civil,
political and social unrest. It is a monumental task at times to remove oneself
from the painful past and an uncertain future. But for the sake of the communities
we live in, and our children—we must
take that leap of faith i.e. believe in something greater than ourselves,
struggle against all odds, and see beyond living on the edge of nothingness.
This piece entitled “Remove Yourself from the Painful Past and
Uncertain Future” is a reminder of how we must move from one place to another
throughout our lives, both figuratively and literally. Sometimes there is pain involved in that move. I created this piece
back in 2003 when I was going through a period of personal change, and
recollection. It was one of a series of works that reflected on a transitional time
in my life, where I needed to migrate both physically and emotionally. Part of
that process was a physical move from Pennsylvania to South Carolina.
The other part of that move was internal—from a place on the edge of nothingness—to
a place on the edge of everything….
I found that a place on the edge of everything is a beautiful place indeed.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Broken
A broken world view
This week’s photo challenge is “broken”. The image I selected for this challenge is a
photographic still of my 1991 video installation presented at Highwire Gallery
entitled “The World Spins Black / White”. The 1991 installation was an
examination of—and condemnation of the forces of civil disobedience, war, and
social unrest that our society was struggling with at the time. The motivation
for choosing this photograph, at this specific point, is the state of our political
union here in the United States and abroad. At the core, I believe is a broken democracy.
The world is changing and it can be
argued not for the best. There is an ideology that threatens to disrupt, dismantle,
and delineate our democracy and freedom. That dismantling presents itself in many
different forms, with a variety of sponsors. Here in the United States, I
believe its greatest sponsor is right wing conservatism at its extreme,
supported by various proxy organizations, and funded by wealthy individuals
such as the Koch brothers. At the heart of the process with malice intent are
the reduction and perhaps even the elimination of our government i.e. the way
it functions and the services it provides. Hence there is the privatizing and
systematic assault on the public sector, with the goal being the transference
of wealth from the many to the few. In league with the machinations to
facilitate these insidious methods are corporate media moguls, right wing think
tanks and Tea Party legislators to name a few.
My image for this challenge “broken” is a world globe,
wrapped in barbed wire and decaying red roses.
“The vast possibilities of our great future will become realities
only if we make ourselves responsible for that future”. … Gifford Pinchot
Out Tonight 1989 / 2009 remix
Out Tonight / video still / digital collage 2011
Bonus song: The Smiths – There is a light that never goes out
Out Tonight, the video, was first created in 1989 and mixed with the music of The Smiths and the song “There is a Light that Never Goes Out”. The video was originally conceived as a reflection of 80’s New Wave music, the club scene, and chillin out. But I wanted to add something more, and therefore centered its theme on the possible controversy, yet beauty of interracial dating. The texts used in the video, I thought I knew what would make you smile tonight ask the question of devotion, and statements after an arrest under the immorality act reveals the possible (most notably in the past) consequence. I was inspired to produce this video after seeing the play entitled “Statements after an Arrest under the Immorality Act” by South African playwright Athol Fugard. In the play, Fugard examined with a visceral intensity the consequences of interracial love during apartheid in South Africa. I believe that it is extremely important that we reach out and lead by example, demonstrating that love is universal and that we are all of one race i.e. the human race—diverse, complex, and beautiful.
Love has no boundaries.
The video was created using an Amiga 1000 computer with a Digital Creations’ Super Gen video mixer. Way ahead of its time, the Amiga 1000, which was first introduced to the public in 1985, was an extraordinary machine equipped with music, video and graphic cards. The 2009 version of Out Tonight is remixed with music by Nine Inch Nails.
Maybe Tomorrow a Better Possibility / Resolution and Redemption
Maybe Tomorrow a Better Possibility / Resolution and Redemption was first conceived as a collaborative project with video artist Walter Smith and fellow artist / singer / actor and friend, Ronald Freeman in 1994. The emotional impetus for the project was the ever increasing urban decay surrounding us in Philadelphia. Through substance abuse, drug warfare, and a rapid deterioration of its infrastructure, we came to see our beloved city in a struggle for survival. The original song, Hunger for Holiness, which accompanied the original video was written and sang by Ronald. The composition sought to give insight to the problems and plight of the urban construct and hope for a better tomorrow. In this remixed version, a dreamlike jazzy trance score replaces the composition to create an otherworldly sense of ambiguity, but again hope.
Maybe Tomorrow a Better Possibility / A Self Portrait of Resolution and Redemption
The Right Wing, its Proxy Media and the Rewriting of History
The Stars and Stripes
With the killing of Osama bin Laden, one would think there
would be a coming together in recognition of President Obama’s phenomenal and
precise political strategy. President Obama demonstrated a cool demeanor when
faced with a difficult decision. His intellectual prowess, his ability to
gather information and collaborate with his team of advisors in which to make
an informed decision is unmatched by any other president in recent history.
In contrast, George W. Bush and his lack of decisive
decision making in the capturing of Osama bin Laden is being rewritten for his
benefit by the Conservative Right Wing and its proxy media in the form of the
FOX news network.
Let us look at a few facts….
President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and their security team of advisors were informed up
to almost a year prior to 911 of an impending attack by Al Qaida by the CIA.
This information was ignored. After 911, when it was reported in December 2001,
that Osama bin Laden was possibly in Tora Bora, his commanders in the field in
Afghanistan requested more troops for a surge into Tora Bora. That request was
denied, and his special forces dismantled for a new mission, namely the
invasion of Iraq.
George W. Bush dropped the ball.
Without sounding the alarm of conspiracy theories involving
the Bush Administration, one does have to ask why Osama bin Laden was allowed
to remain free. In theory, Bush needed Bin Laden. He needed him as an
enemy. He needed a reason to justify the invasion of Iraq. If Bin Laden
had been captured, we would no longer have a reason to be in Iraq. It can be
verified that Bush and Cheney wanted to invade Iraq prior to 911. All they
needed was a reason to make it happen. We now know that the reason for going to war in Iraq was a lie. At the
time of Tora Bora it was assumed by the Bush adminstration that 911 and the world’s number 1 terrorist, if still free, could facilitate a legitimate reason to invade Iraq.
Now with the recent killing of Osama bin Laden,
Conservatives, led by Peter King are trying to take credit. They are proposing
that extreme interrogation methods i.e. torture in the form of water boarding
provided vital information. Hmmm, funny how this form of torture was ended
nearly 5 years ago, yet the information that led to the targeting of Osama bin
Laden was just hanging around until now. But I digress. Truth is vital in the
writing of history. And it does a great disservice to all the men and women of
our armed forces and intelligent services that worked with integrity, utilizing
appropriate measures to gather information for the capturing and subsequent
killing of Osama bin Laden.
Shame on all, who dishonor what America stands for and who
would attempt to rewrite history to benefit those who got it wrong.
Let us be aware, of the truth.
At the Steps of Wall Street and the Powers that Be, Our Price for Freedom
Sometimes In the Waking the Reality Is More Pressing than the Dream 2011 remix
Sometimes in the waking the reality is more pressing than the dream.
Last night, I awoke after a troubled sleep. A desperate sense of uneasiness embodied my Spirit. I really wish the soul of the world somehow was different, had been different, since the beginning of time. Perhaps then, millions of people, of all races, throughout creation and evolution would not have had to fight so hard for their freedom. That fight certainly continues today, in the streets and at the steps of institutions throughout the land with a fervent oscillation of desperation, purpose and will.
We want freedom they shout!
Last night I was dreaming that I was in a Wall Street Bank that had been converted to a video store. I was attempting to return three videos and was told I had purchased a video that I knew that I had not, a video whose contents I was at odds with….
It was the stripping of my freedom.
It was a beautiful building. The architecture was designed to rise above all in its majesty and prestige. It once was a symbol of power and hard earned wealth. And now the money terrorists had taken over…literally in the dream and in life….
Scenes of surrealism abound….
In the dream I spent several minutes walking the aisles viewing such great documentary and feature film titles such as Food Inc., Gas land, Citizen Kane, District 9, Sunshine, and Inside Job. While cruising, I simultaneously began noticing a sense of tension in some of the patrons. However, most had come to grip with the situation and seemed to be not at odds with their oppressors, the money terrorists. A group of Tibetan Buddhist Monks (who I must say are at the forefront of courageous freedom fighters) are reciting mantras, handing out pamphlets and inviting everyone to India, Tibet and Nepal. A group called Meet the People Time Forgot is touring America e.g. the Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty, Independence Hall, and the Philadelphia Zoo. The organization is known for its strict membership requirements i.e. only the downtrodden, the young, the old, the disabled, the unemployed, the underemployed, the disenfranchised and those lost at sea may apply. During short interludes, in life, when all their possessions were not being taken from them, they were to be found in the rear vaults; amusing themselves and passing time by playing games of pinochle, gin rummy, strip poker and blackjack. The Buddhist Monks, after having given out the pamphlets, gracefully sat down (yoga style) and held a ‘throw-down’ Zen tea party…unreal Tea Partiers were not invited. Everyone seemed entranced, even one of the money terrorists could not resist the enticing smell of freshly baked goods such as biscuits, cookies, cakes, chunks of butter, lard and manure, and jelly-filled pastries from Dunkin Donuts. On the winding staircases that circumvent the bank, teenagers (e.g. two or more black youths (a “Wolf Pack”)), hip grunge girls from Seattle (listening to Nirvana on their IPods) are strolling (oblivious to the stealing of their constitution and American values) while sipping from designer tea cups; their right hands delicately holding small thimble sized cups of licorice, jasmine, ginseng and caffeine free Echinacea tea. The aroma and taste is downright toxic, I shake my head in affirmation; I pause, center myself, and prepare to “take on the man”.
Yeah, he puts up a good fight. They all do, the money terrorists—a lot of power and influence they possess and wield. And he is nonetheless persistent in his disillusionment, dreaming of ways of putting me down, kicking us to the curb. So I have to be as willful in my rebuttal, in my response, in my voice…..
So I protest, and line the halls of institutions and squares all over the world shouting… I am willing to die for my freedom and yours.
Join me….
And never give up the fight.
At the Steps of Wall Street and the Powers that Be, Our Fight for Freedom
Our Super Admiration and Grandiose Celebration of Violence American Style
It's a Super Bowl football thing
On a recent Sunday most Americans found themselves glued to a television set with friends and family, at home, in bars, and in parking lots to watch a game called football.
I was NOT one of them.
Of course I am not talking about any football game. I am talking about the highly revered Super Bowl. It’s a day when America will stop virtually everything to watch a game. The Church will cancel its evening services, the NBA will make sure it does not schedule any night games which may come in conflict with its consumer viewing, government dignitaries will stop serving the people to attend, weekend workers won’t show up at work, and kids won’t go out to play.
And drunk drivers will kill people on the roads of America.
I can never understand this fascination for a game that, for lack of better expression, celebrates violence.
But then America does love its violence….
We love war, guns and the death penalty. I have to chuckle just a little bit when I think of the millions of Texans, in particular, who just love the fact, and can boast that this monumental testimony to violence was being played in their home state. All hail Texas, the death penalty and the right to carry a gun!
What is it about men, dressed as Gladiators, running into each other at full speed with the single intent to “knock the other person unconscious”, or to “knock the %*$# out of the other player” that brings so much pleasure, so much delight, to a cheering fan? What is it about this over exaggerated state of machismo that fuels the imagination of so many people?
Have we lost our minds?
Well, there is a certain awakening or awareness in my mind. Needless to say it does not engage in, nor feel, nor know, nor need the connection to this or any celebratory and fortuitous act of violence. Am I immune to rising thoughts of violence or distraction? Of course I am not. However, I’ve come to understand through innate intuition, a daily practice in mindfulness, and structured study—the need for love, compassion and non-violence….
In a world, that often celebrates violence fortuitously, as people simultaneously struggle against tyranny, in which to build their own democracies, there is a need to step back for a moment and ask ourselves honestly….
Does this make any sense?
I say … NO, it does not.
Now, it should be noted, that I am not against sport or competition. I too have a love for athleticism that brings out the best in us. Some of my more recent posts via my blog explore my own love for athleticism (biking) and the sense of achievement that can be found in the mastery of self in athletic pursuit. I think we all have our reasons for challenging ourselves. Maybe a closer scrutiny of the “why” is needed.
But our admiration for violence in and out of sport leaves me puzzled, and to this final question….
Is this REALLY the America we TRULY want?
The Spark that Ignites Our Dream of Love Soon Fades Away
A 2011 remix for Life and Stolen Innocence with poem
four point two million sympathy cards hallmark dissipating blue-clear skies to purple gray skies vertical sky-cam a gun in hand aisle four
the sound of a distant airplane voices behind closed doors clear skies, green grass, eternity hand-held sony super 8 interviewing clips from serial mom and fourth of july picnics
christmas morning echoed screams polaroids father knows best sleep in pain, wake to fear, live without love family sitcoms circa: 1960’s
Maybe Tomorrow a Better Dream a Better Life
2011 remix of Life and Stolen Innocence, Recovery and The Spark that Ignites Our Dream of Love Soon Fades Away
Millions of children, throughout the world, are abused in one form on another. It is heartbreaking that they must live with the sharp pain of an unkind word, neglect, shame, or physical torment. It shatters their hopes and dreams. As a society we cannot lose sight of what a young girl or boy experiences when their trust in those who should protect them is betrayed. We as a community, a village, must extend love and compassion, hope and inspiration that tomorrow’s dreams and life itself can and will be beautiful, safe and fulfilling. There is a lot of space in the hearts of all children to find that warm embrace, the story that leaves a smile, and a relationship that is love.
Hopes, Dreams and Stolen Innocence
- A 2011 remix of the 1993 exhibit Life in Stolen Innocence
Lately, I have been thinking about the human condition. How we must see ourselves as the protectors of the young and the innocence throughout the world. How our society prevails, or should prevail in a time of moral entropy. How we must find the courage to uphold the moral reason for love and compassion. In this post entitled “Hopes, Dreams and Stolen Innocence” and the related post, “Maybe Tomorrow a Better Dream a Better Life”, I look back at works, from the past that I have created in the attempt to address these issues. In 1993, at Atlantic Community College, I exhibited my photo / text piece entitled “Life and Stolen Innocence” i.e. the fictional depiction of two young girls growing up simultaneously—one child living in a loving and sustaining home, and the other child in an abusive home environment. And in 2002 I revisited this examination with the digital collage “The Spark that Ignites Our Dream of Love Soon Fades Away”. Both works were an attempt to focus on the idealism of youth, in the shadow of dreams and hopes lost.
Art and Place an Antidote for Violence
Lilies on the Lake 2011 Remix for the post Art and Place an Antidote for Violence
On Saturday January 8th 2011 an act of violence erupted that may well change the political landscape and its discourse. I am of course talking about the shooting, killing and wounding of numerous individuals as they participated in a town hall meeting with Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The congresswoman, a centrist Democrat, was also critically injured in this senseless attack. A very sad day for America and my condolences go out to the families and friends. What does this act say about our society as we must press forward, while enveloped in a sphere of indifference, ignorance and hatred? What should a nation as a collective and a nation of individuals do? How do we respond? And will we demand that our politicians (the right in particular) stop putting their heads in the sand as they minimize and discredit the obvious i.e. that the shootings were politically motivated while fueled by an incoherent and troubled mind.
My suggestion today (and there should be many from all of us) is the focusing of the mind, seeing things as they really are, taking time to find ART and PLACE, and finding in the quiet centered mind, the antidote for violence. “Lilies on the Lake” and “The Lake in Quiet Meditation” are two pieces I created with the purpose of finding the quiet centered mind in the beauty of ART and the ambient sense of PLACE. There is stillness in nature and in the nature of the mind. We must actively pursue this solitude to increase our awareness of ourselves and the world around us. And in doing we step one moment closer to enhancing our world, creating love, not hate, and finding peace through compassion.
The Lake in Quiet Meditation, 2005 for the post Art and Place an Antidote for Violence
Looking down from their ivy tower
The wealthy and the United States of Corporate America's historical assault on the middle class and the poor
I was communicating with a fellow artist who had indicated how frustrated she was with the state of our country, and decided to sell everything and move to Costa Rica to build a home, do organic farming, and participate in a re-foresting project. She is very happy, and I am proud of her for her commitment to the environment. But what about this assault on the middle class, on the poor, from Corporate America, the Tea Party, GOP and even some Democrats, and those who would strip the resources of our world, for their own self-gratification? How do we, the people, the true patriots fight back? I am appalled at the state of the union. And fearful. But not enough to stand down. The list of insidious machinations directed toward the dismantling of the middle class and the poor are many, and their origins date back decades even centuries. At the very heart of it all is the elimination of all the social constructs that the New Deal, the civil rights movement, the women’s movement, the gay movement, and most importantly—the right for all individuals to be free. It’s a tough world out there now. Let’s stand together, voice our dissent and rebel.
n e w d i g i t a l s c a p e s 
