So for everyone who has bought the CD and browsed through the booklet, I have a question for you. Actually, maybe a couple...
I guess I could get real deep on this and write out some sort of colorful, descriptive, metaphoric interpretation but I won't. If you looked at the picture story in Lupe's booklet, you know what I'm talking about.
When I happened across pages 3 and 4 of the booklet to that classroom picture, I almost had a car accident. (I was driving back to work at the time.) As I fumbled through the rest of the booklet, the story began to unfold, and I began to understand. "That's really profound", I thought to myself. So ok, cool. There's a point to the detestable, crude, sad, destroying and terryfying imagery on pages 3 and 4.
So here is my question. Well...first, do me a favor. Look at the brown, little girl smiling into the camera on page 4. Look at her smile...look at her tiny hand...look at the baby hairs on her temple...look into her eyes. Go back to when you were her age and try to remember your frame of mind. Remember how innocent you were. Remember how you couldn't understand what your parents meant when they told you not to put your fingers in sockets, or not to play with knifes, or to stay away from matches. Can you go back there? Can you remember how oblivious you were? Can you understand that you had neither the knowledge, the wisdom, or the common sense to comprehend why the above items could hurt you? Ok. I think you're there with me. I think you feel me and can understand where I'm going with this. So Now. The question is, what do you imagine the master mind behind this picture said to this little girl, or the whole classroom of students for that matter, to make them understand this? Pretend you are the artist who's trying to prove this profound point that we receive from the booklet, and conjure up what you would say to these children. How would that conversation go? What would you explain to them? Keep in mind that they don't care about art, or the point of the story, or Lupe Fiasco. All the know is that they get to finally touch, handle, hold and take pictures with play guns. Do you think that someone had this conversation with them? Do you think the situation was handled? Who do you think was charged with that duty, if it actually did take place? What would you do/think if you were these children's parents?
Here's another question. Would you be able to be that teacher? For $100,000, would you be that teacher?
Please hit me back on this.
8 comments:
I could never give a gun to a child. I don't care about the purpose. Even in war times I wouldn't give a gun to the child. I'd just have to shoot with both hands. I hate guns. Children get them young enough, without us putting them in their hands.
Art isn't worth that. I see the point he's trying to make, but he could've gotten an artist to do that. I mean think about the destructive energy that's in a gun. Just thinking about using those on someone sends chills through me. Let alone being young and doing it. Imagine taking a life at that age. Imagine it any age, but especially a young one.
With movies, TV, and other places where we see guns all the time, we tend to forget how destructive they are.
Peace,
Kep.
First off let me say that I too was taken back by the photos...however, Understanding the consciousness of the reasoning behind the picture I can't imagine that there wasn't a conversation with both the children and their parents...I remmember having play water guns and things of that nature at a young age...that's neither here nor there...but I can't see that there wasn't a conversation with these kids...
sad thing is that those children probably know more about guns and weapons than we do...things have evolved and changed so much since we were their age...and maybe that's another point that he was trying to make...young children are actually being groomed to be killers...that's the reality that's the truth...then you see how they infuse education and the other pictures to convey the story that brings it totally home as to what the purpose of the pictures where there...you see "thugs" with books and milk and cookies...I think a deeper explanation of the total art of the book is needed, but maybe not...
its a catch 22 to me...I think there could have been a better way to show this, but then maybe there really wasn't a better way to show or bring home the reality so that we can have this conversation that we are having right now so that we can raise our level of consciousness and do something about the reality of the problem, which is that our children are growing up too fast and are being presented with negative images left and right so what are WE going to do about it...complain about a photo or find a solution to the problem that is behind the photo....
would I be a teacher? yes I would, in fact I think that might just be what I am meant to do...not for the money but for the kids...
But you know that's just my interpretation of the situation is all...
what it is to me is a parallel between reality and what people think...
Kep - I totally agree!
T.C. - Just to clarify, I was asking if you could be that teacher in the photo. Would you accept a job to be the teacher in the photo passing out the guns?
I think we all understand what the meaning of the pictures are. The art is so explicit that it doesn't need explaning. It's quite clear and obvious what Lupe or the art director of this booklet is trying to say. What I'm wondering is what you think they said to those babies? I'm trying to imagine the conversation that they had (if they had one at all) and I can't come up with anything that doesn't sound hypocritical. I mean how would this truly go? "Guns are bad..Don't play with guns..Never go anywhere around guns..Briana, come get your gun honey"? I mean how would you explain this in a way that would make them understand when they can't even understand that chemicals kill or that fire hurts? That's my question.
For those reading this, they may not know what the entire concept was....that's why I said you may want to present an explanation...
Do you really think that they are that young? They do look elementary school aged but not any younger than 3rd or 4th grade?
I can't imagine the conversation...I can't...but I am sure there was one...I am just stating that its more to it, there is a consciousness that I think he is trying to bring about through the artwork
No, I wouldn't be the teacher in that picture...
Ok...let me make this clear...I agree with Kepa, guns, death, all of that is so destructive...so don't think that I am not agreeing with that point..
But would it have been as powerful and sparked such a discussion had it been just an artistic picture of the scene? I don't think that it would have...but then the question is, what are we "willing to do" to make a point? Are we willing to compromise an impressionable mind? But maybe the mind wasn't that impressionable...meaning maybe they used kids that were older but looked younger...I mean I have Kiamsha students that look like they could be in the 6th grade...
I don't know my mind keeps going back and forth on it...its a catch 22, how far is one willing to go to make a point..
No, I wouldn't be a teacher in such a picture because I personally do not want to be remembered that way...even if its for artistic expression and a bigger cause...I think we agree just for different reasons...and I am personally rambling so I will end now
That's a good point mack...never thought about that...
I guess that could be true. Cousins and relatives... But does that make it any better?
I don't think it makes it better, but its makes it more like Ok, if you get how this dude is, and hope how is family is, then you get that these kids have been talked to and understand the purpose behind things...I don't know I have been thinking about this ALL day long...and my little nieces and nephews and how bright they are...and would they get it...I know at an early age I was taught about guns and the like and I got it...really young elementary school young...but my parents talked to me about it...like I would never use a gun for anything crazy...but I knew my father had them...in fact I have one, a shotgun, antique...we all do...I knew that I had one, or one was being handed down to me when I was like what 9-10 years old...and that might sound crazy to anyone reading this...BUT I understood its purpose in my family history and I understood basic morals/values that my parents instealed in me...and that could very well be the case with these kids...
I think the picture was meant to make people stop and thinking about kids and this situation as a whole...how are kids are being targeted as a whole with stuff like this constantly...and what we could or should be doing about it...and I know or think that you get that...that there is BIGGER overall picture...but I can honestly see this being kids he knows and has a relationship with and not just random kids, and if that's the case, just from his music I would see a very deep, honest and conscious discussion around the whole situation...but maybe I am giving him and those around him too much credit but that's my hope about the situation...
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