Explorations of Color and Surface Illuminate MoCA Westport’s Summer Exhibitions; Artists Tsao & Sao Opening June 29

By in Native

Explorations of Color and Surface Illuminate MoCA Westport’s Summer Exhibitions; Artists Tsao & Sao Opening June 29

  • 1 of 2

Westport, CT – MoCA [Museum of Contemporary Art] Westport announces its Summer Exhibitions featuring the works of contemporary artists Richard Tsao and Sao.

Tsao (born in Thailand, lives in New York City) and Sao (born in Portugal, lives in Southport, CT) both work with color. Either through accumulative (Tsao) or layered washes (Sao), color, pigment and surface are modes in which emotions are conjured, metaphor explored and a sensory experience entices the viewer.

An opening reception will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 from 6 – 8 PM. The event is free for MoCA Members and $10 for the general public. Advance registration is requested on mocawestport.org. 

Richard Tsao: The Constant Gardener

On view June 29 – August 20, 2023

In Richard Tsao’s well-known flood room paintings on canvas and wood, his unrestrained use of color seems to appropriately present itself in just the right balance. He manipulates pure pigment with an alchemist’s instincts in an approach that leaves his work vibrantly colored. With pigment thoroughly encrusting the canvas or wood supports, and with sections of the encrustations sticking out well beyond the supports’ edges, Tsao’s works are less painted than accumulated—they may be years in the making.

Tsao’s Rectangle series of the 1990s does not seem fixed in the physical world. These superb monotypes take full advantage of the possibilities of transferring an oil painting onto paper. In Tsao’s paintings on canvas, the physicality of brilliantly colored paint also becomes architecture; in contrast, these Rectangle works are the distillation of the spirit of color. 

These lushly layered abstract works are closely linked to Tsao’s signature vibrantly colored multi-layered flood roompaintings that evoke the lush nature of his native Thailand. Those familiar with Tsao’s color saturated paintings will recognize his unrestrained use of color in Rectangle works and feel enlivened by the luminosity of the accumulated colors. 

Sao: Inner Landscapes

On view June 29 – August 27, 2023 

Sao’s Inner Landscapes is a collection of large-scale paintings on canvas that showcases the artist’s unique approach to creating meditative spaces. The artist’s compositions use horizontal lines and gestures suggestive of landscapes, while layers of refined colors are applied to create luminous washes. Through this technique, Sao evokes a sense of depth and serenity within each work.

Sao’s keen sensitivity to color relationships and the distilled paint application engage the viewer’s senses and bring about an overall contemplative atmosphere to the paintings. Light within each artwork emanates serenity, spirituality and light–these meditative spaces invite viewers to explore and engage with the paintings on a deeper level, both visually and emotionally.

“Richard Tsao and Sao create a spiritual, joyous experience with each artwork, and present the depths of meanings, feelings and relationships we have with color in our lives and in the world at every moment,” explained Liz Leggett, MoCA Westport’s Director of Exhibitions. 

MoCA’s new summer gallery hours as of June 29, 2023 are Thursday – Sunday from 12 – 4 PM. Docent-led gallery tours are available on Thursdays and Saturdays at 1 PM.

To learn more about MoCA’s Summer Exhibitions and supporting programming, contact Liz Leggett, MoCA Westport’s Director of Exhibitions, at 
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 or 203/222-7070.

MoCA wishes to thank Expand Media for sponsorship of the Inner Landscapes exhibition.

MoCA Westport also thanks Björn Sao; Jung Lee Sanders, Founder and Director of Art Projects International, NYC; Lilly Wei; and Flynn Thomas for helping to bring this exhibition to fruition.

More About Richard Tsao

Born and raised in Bangkok, Richard Tsao moved to New York in 1976, where he currently lives and works. His 1995 breakout first solo exhibition in New York at the Queens Museum featured Tsao’s color saturated multi-layered paintings described as “chromatically opulent, process-intensive abstraction” by Holland Cotter who reviewed the show in The New York Times. Since the mid-1990s, Tsao has shown extensively in the United States and Asia. Recent solo exhibitions include: Richard Tsao: Green Acres, Art Projects International, New York (2021) and Richard Tsao: Monotypes, Art Projects International, New York (2020). His work is represented in major collections including the Weatherspoon Art Museum, Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation Collection, and Montefiore Fine Art Collection, New York.

More About Sao

Sao has been an artist and designer for over 30 years. A native of Portugal, Sao studied art and design in Denmark before moving to America to pursue her career. Her paintings and textiles have been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution’s Renwick Gallery, The Textile Museum, the Corcoran Gallery in Washington DC, the American Center for the Arts in Paris, the Gulbenkian Foundation and the American Embassy in Paris, the Amphitheater in Arles, France, Rhode Island School of Design’s Museum of Art, and at the American Craft Museum, NYC and Museum of the City of New York. She was represented by the Fendrick Gallery in Washington DC and New York. Sao has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and was awarded The Washington DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Award and Women in Design International Award. Sao created costumes for the Gulbenkian Ballet in Lisbon and The London Contemporary Dance Theatre and had her own store in Soho, NYC for ten years, exhibiting both her art and couture fashion line. She has lectured extensively on her art and design, and her book Wearable Art: Innovative Designs for Clothing and Fibers was published by Viking Press in 1980. She currently paints full time at her studio in Southport, Connecticut.

About MoCA Westport

MoCA Westport is a non-profit visual and performing arts organization that has been a cornerstone of the Westport, Connecticut community for over 50 years. In 2019, MoCA Westport underwent a significant expansion in order to bring extensive programming to the local community and greater New York and New England regions.

In addition to hosting contemporary art exhibitions and performing arts events, The Academy at MoCA Westport provides arts classes for all ages.

MoCA Westport is thankful for its generous Supporters, including Bill and Jodi Felton, Joyce Pauker, Eric Bernheim, Gary Cosgrave, Michael Delgass, Paul Efstathiou, Kristin Foster, Derek Goodman, Elizabeth Gorayeb, Tom Hofstetter, Pamela Hovland, Shari Lebowitz, Adam Moore, Deborah Murtaugh, Rachel Pencu, Dogan Perese, Jane Preiser, Oliver Pursche, Elizabeth Strick, Joyce Thompson and Lucien Vita. 

MoCA Westport is also thankful for the dedication of its generous Sponsors, including the Artur and Heida Hermanns Holde Foundation, Inc.; The Bafflin Foundation; Bank of America Museums on Us; Beechwood Arts and Innovation; Wendy and Jacques Bouthillier; The Law Offices of Cohen and Wolf; The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation; The Cup Bearer; Richard Epstein and Ina Chadwick; Expand Media; Fairfield After Dark; Fairfield County Bank; FLB Law; The Girlfriend Fund; The Hofstetter Baron Group of Wells Fargo Advisors; The Dale & Laura Kutnick Foundation; Marcia Selden Catering & Events; Lance Lundberg and Terry McGuinness; Meadow Ridge, A Distinctive Lifecare Community; The Russell Insurance Agency; Suzanne and Norman Sorensen; SRI Fine Art Services; The Union House; Cindy and John Vaccaro; Wealthspire Advisors; Wells Fargo Bank; Westport Lifestyle; WPKN; MoCA Westport operates with the support of the New England Foundation for the Arts; the Department of Economic and Community Development, CT Humanities, Connecticut Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Decoding the art of collaboration with Sriram Padmanabhan, Danone India

By in Art World News

Decoding the art of collaboration with Sriram Padmanabhan, Danone India

Sriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India

This week’s episode features Sriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India, who emphasises the importance of independence in marketing, allowing teams to think freely and challenge preconceived notions, providing support for teams during difficult times and constantly evolving with the changing markets and consumers.

He stresses on the need to challenge traditional notions and work together across different functions within the organisation.

Padmanabhan believes that the strength of the marketing function lies in its ability to be close to market reality and be the voice of the consumer. However, the weakness of being inundated with data and the threat of being unable to keep pace with the fast-evolving consumers are also some points he touched upon.

He believes that it is of utmost importance to be open to new ways of thinking in order to keep up with rapidly changing markets.

Padmanabhan further emphasises the need to work together across different functions within the organisation and to give teams the freedom to experiment and fail fast. Additionally, he highlights the importance of collaboration with external partners in order to build something larger and better.

Watch the full episode here:

Power of simplicity and common sense is immense if applied with creativity: Tushar Malhotra, Bisleri International

Tushar Malhotra, head of marketing, Bisleri International highlights the power of simplicity mixed with creativity can make a big impact in marketing.

“,”next_sibling”:[{“msid”:100981305,”title”:”Fuel companies on ‘convenience’ drive to draw in buyers”,”entity_type”:”ARTICLE”,”link”:”/news/marketing/fuel-companies-on-convenience-drive-to-draw-in-buyers/100981305″,”category_name”:null,”category_name_seo”:”marketing”}],”related_content”:[],”msid”:100987057,”entity_type”:”ARTICLE”,”title”:”Decoding the art of collaboration with Sriram Padmanabhan, Danone India”,”synopsis”:”In this weeku2019s episode of u2018The Independent Marketer, Sriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India highlights the importance of collaboration with external partners in order to build something larger and better.”,”titleseo”:”marketing/decoding-the-art-of-collaboration-with-sriram-padmanabhan-danone-india”,”status”:”ACTIVE”,”authors”:[{“author_name”:”BE Staff”,”author_link”:”/author/479256949/be-staff”,”author_image”:”https://etimg.etb2bimg.com/authorthumb/479256949.cms?width=100&height=100&hostid=281″,”author_additional”:{“thumbsize”:false,”msid”:479256949,”author_name”:”BE Staff”,”author_seo_name”:”be-staff”,”designation”:”Staff Writer”,”agency”:false}}],”Alttitle”:{“minfo”:””},”artag”:”ETBrandEquity”,”artdate”:”2023-06-14 13:33:24″,”lastupd”:”2023-06-14 13:33:33″,”breadcrumbTags”:[“danone india”,”sriram padmanabhan”,”independent marketer series”,”independent marketer”,”Sriram Padmanabhan danone india”,”danone cmo”,”independence in marketing”,”marketing function”,”collaboration”],”secinfo”:{“seolocation”:”marketing/decoding-the-art-of-collaboration-with-sriram-padmanabhan-danone-india”}}” data-authors=”[” be data-category-name=”Marketing” data-category_id=”381″ data-date=”2023-06-14″ data-index=”article_1″ readability=”2.837094017094″>

In this week’s episode of ‘The Independent Marketer, Sriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India highlights the importance of collaboration with external partners in order to build something larger and better.

BE Staff

  • Updated On Jun 14, 2023 at 01:33 PM IST

imageSriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India”>
Sriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India

This week’s episode features Sriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India, who emphasises the importance of independence in marketing, allowing teams to think freely and challenge preconceived notions, providing support for teams during difficult times and constantly evolving with the changing markets and consumers.

He stresses on the need to challenge traditional notions and work together across different functions within the organisation.

Padmanabhan believes that the strength of the marketing function lies in its ability to be close to market reality and be the voice of the consumer. However, the weakness of being inundated with data and the threat of being unable to keep pace with the fast-evolving consumers are also some points he touched upon.

He believes that it is of utmost importance to be open to new ways of thinking in order to keep up with rapidly changing markets.

Padmanabhan further emphasises the need to work together across different functions within the organisation and to give teams the freedom to experiment and fail fast. Additionally, he highlights the importance of collaboration with external partners in order to build something larger and better.

Watch the full episode here:

Power of simplicity and common sense is immense if applied with creativity: Tushar Malhotra, Bisleri International

Tushar Malhotra, head of marketing, Bisleri International highlights the power of simplicity mixed with creativity can make a big impact in marketing.

  • Published On Jun 14, 2023 at 01:33 PM IST

Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals

Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis.

Download ETBrandEquity App

  • Get Realtime updates
  • Save your favourite articles


Scan to download App


  • Home
  • News
  • Marketing
  • Decoding the art of collaboration with Sriram Padmanabhan, Danone India

Sriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India

This week’s episode features Sriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India, who emphasises the importance of independence in marketing, allowing teams to think freely and challenge preconceived notions, providing support for teams during difficult times and constantly evolving with the changing markets and consumers.

He stresses on the need to challenge traditional notions and work together across different functions within the organisation.

Padmanabhan believes that the strength of the marketing function lies in its ability to be close to market reality and be the voice of the consumer. However, the weakness of being inundated with data and the threat of being unable to keep pace with the fast-evolving consumers are also some points he touched upon.

He believes that it is of utmost importance to be open to new ways of thinking in order to keep up with rapidly changing markets.

Padmanabhan further emphasises the need to work together across different functions within the organisation and to give teams the freedom to experiment and fail fast. Additionally, he highlights the importance of collaboration with external partners in order to build something larger and better.

Watch the full episode here:

Power of simplicity and common sense is immense if applied with creativity: Tushar Malhotra, Bisleri International

Tushar Malhotra, head of marketing, Bisleri International highlights the power of simplicity mixed with creativity can make a big impact in marketing.

“,”next_sibling”:[{“msid”:100981305,”title”:”Fuel companies on ‘convenience’ drive to draw in buyers”,”entity_type”:”ARTICLE”,”link”:”/news/marketing/fuel-companies-on-convenience-drive-to-draw-in-buyers/100981305″,”category_name”:null,”category_name_seo”:”marketing”}],”related_content”:[],”msid”:100987057,”entity_type”:”ARTICLE”,”title”:”Decoding the art of collaboration with Sriram Padmanabhan, Danone India”,”synopsis”:”In this weeku2019s episode of u2018The Independent Marketer, Sriram Padmanabhan, marketing director, Danone India highlights the importance of collaboration with external partners in order to build something larger and better.”,”titleseo”:”marketing/decoding-the-art-of-collaboration-with-sriram-padmanabhan-danone-india”,”status”:”ACTIVE”,”authors”:[{“author_name”:”BE Staff”,”author_link”:”/author/479256949/be-staff”,”author_image”:”https://etimg.etb2bimg.com/authorthumb/479256949.cms?width=100&height=100&hostid=281″,”author_additional”:{“thumbsize”:false,”msid”:479256949,”author_name”:”BE Staff”,”author_seo_name”:”be-staff”,”designation”:”Staff Writer”,”agency”:false}}],”Alttitle”:{“minfo”:””},”artag”:”ETBrandEquity”,”artdate”:”2023-06-14 13:33:24″,”lastupd”:”2023-06-14 13:33:33″,”breadcrumbTags”:[“danone india”,”sriram padmanabhan”,”independent marketer series”,”independent marketer”,”Sriram Padmanabhan danone india”,”danone cmo”,”independence in marketing”,”marketing function”,”collaboration”],”secinfo”:{“seolocation”:”marketing/decoding-the-art-of-collaboration-with-sriram-padmanabhan-danone-india”}}” data-news_link=”https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/marketing/decoding-the-art-of-collaboration-with-sriram-padmanabhan-danone-india/100987057″>

Logo

Advertise With Us

We have various options to advertise with us including Events, Advertorials, Banners, Mailers, etc.

Download ETBrandEquity App

Save your favourite articles with seamless reading experience

Get updates on your preferred social platform

Follow us for the latest news, insider access to events and more.


The Economic Times Business Verticals

Walk-in camera obscura features in V&A Photography Centre

By in Photography

Walk-in camera obscura features in V&A Photography Centre

British studios Gibson Thornley Architects and Purcell have completed the V&A Photography Centre in London, which includes a double-height library and a walk-in camera obscura.

Located in South Kensington, the centre is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum‘s extensive Future Plan – a project involving the upgrade of its visitor facilities and galleries while also preserving its original historic structure.

Double-height library inside Victoria & Albert Photography Centre by Gibson Thornley Architects and PurcellDouble-height library inside Victoria & Albert Photography Centre by Gibson Thornley Architects and Purcell
The V&A Photography Centre has been completed

Gibson Thornley Architects and Purcell‘s involvement marks the final stage of the V&A Photography Centre project, bringing it to a total of seven rooms intended to “democratise” the collections for a new generation of visitors.

Its new entrance leads directly into a multimedia room for large-scale, immersive projections, which sits alongside a double-height reading room housing the library of the Royal Photographic Society.

Shelves of double-height libraryShelves of double-height library
It includes a double-height library space

Gibson Thornley Architects worked with Purcell to provide additional roof space while revealing and restoring parts of the original building, before introducing contemporary elements that reference and complement the museum’s existing fabric.

“The V&A is one of the UK’s most beautiful and innovative museum sites, and so the design process became a conversation between past and present, celebrating all of the original detail, while enhancing these historic spaces with the very best modern design,” said Gibson Thornley co-founder Matt Thornley.

“We were interested in the idea of layering and depth at a variety of scales, from the experience of passing through the enfilade of rooms to the detailed consideration of separation and exposure of public and private space,” Thornley continued.

In the reading room, new elements are cantilevered from the walls to avoid overloading the existing floor. An elevated walkway has been added, lined by balustrades finished with brass rods that references the V&A ironwork collection.

Victoria & Albert Photography Centre by Gibson Thornley Architects and PurcellVictoria & Albert Photography Centre by Gibson Thornley Architects and Purcell
V&A Photography Centre features a walk-in camera obscura

Linings of walnut burr in the library space echo the V&A’s National Art Library. They wrap a small study area and librarian workspaces, designed to “intertwine” the centre’s public and private uses.

A highlight of the galleries is a walk-in camera obscura, or pinhole camera – a box with a small hole through which light enters and creates an inverted image on the opposite side.

Developed with British artist Richard Learoyd, it allows visitors to experience and experiment with the fundamentals of photography alongside examples of historic cameras.

Gallery interior in LondonGallery interior in London
The gallery spaces are united by parquet flooring. Photo is by Jim Stephenson

The gallery spaces are united by parquet flooring selected to complement the historic structure, while a series of archways connecting the gallery spaces were designed to create a series of vistas that unfold as visitors move through the space.

The first phase of the V&A Photography Centre saw the creation of a series of three galleries designed by David Kohn Architects, which were completed in 2018.

Gibson Thornley Architects also worked with the V&A in 2018 when it designed the exhibition Frida Kahlo: Making Herself Up alongside set designer Tom Scutt.

The photography is by Thomas Adank unless stated otherwise.

Read more:

Photos and paintings face off in Tate’s confusing Capturing the Moment

By in Photography

Photos and paintings face off in Tate’s confusing Capturing the Moment

Painting is supposedly undergoing a renaissance, but there’s barely an artist working today who doesn’t employ photography in one form or another. Indeed, in our photo-tweaking, Instagram-posting, image-manipulating times, painting has become, it could be argued, a mere by-product of photography.

This potentially hugely vexed field provides fertile ground for a major Tate exhibition, exploring the “dynamic relationship between contemporary painting and photography”. Capturing the Moment draws substantially on the collection of the Yageo Foundation, created by the Taiwanese electronics giant, which famously bought David Hockney’s Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) for $89m – then the most expensive painting by a living artist – in 2018. The show puts modern master paintings by the likes of Francis Bacon, Gerhard Richter and Peter Doig into “dialogue” with recent acquisitions by younger artists from the Tate’s own collection.

With the stage set for a really prickly and entertainingly rivalrous encounter between the two mediums, it’s surprising to find ourselves looking at paintings by Lucian Freud – an artist who prided himself on only painting directly from life – as we enter the show. The title of the room, however, gives the thinking behind the display and, indeed, the entire show, away: Painting in the Time of Photography. Since all painting has been somehow touched by an awareness of the possibilities of photography since the mid-19th century advent of the medium, the exhibition seems to regard just about any painting created since 1830 as within its remit. Freud’s poignant The Painter’s Mother IV (1973) is justified on the grounds of its downward-pointing – and arguably photographically inspired – angle over her crumpled features.

MNA Heritage Festival returns to Flagstaff June 24-25

By in Native

MNA Heritage Festival returns to Flagstaff June 24-25

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Artists from Native Nations across the Colorado Plateau will be in Flagstaff June 24-25 for the Museum of Arizona’s Heritage Festival, offering an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the diverse Indigenous cultures in the region.

The festival first began in 1930 with a focus on the Hopi people, but this year will also include the Acoma, Apache, Diné, Havasupai, Hualapai, Pai, Ute, Yavapai and Zuni. Darvin Descheny, public programs manager for MNA, said the inclusion of all the tribes of the Colorado Plateau give the public a chance to learn about more tribes from the region.

The 2023 market will be located on the beautiful, forested grounds surrounding the museum, with the sacred San Francisco Peaks as backdrop. With an expanded artist market and mainstage performances under tents outdoors, there will be plenty of space and fresh air.

“We are counting down the days to one of the biggest events of the year — the Heritage Festival of Art and Culture,” said Mary Kershaw, executive director and CEO of the Museum of Northern Arizona. “This year the festival will be on June 24 and 25. We moved the date in response to artists and attendees who overwhelmingly agreed that moving away from the busy 4th of July weekend would be better for everyone.”

Based on responses from past festival attendees, this year’s market will be returning to the outdoors, allowing more space to view art and talk with artists. Holding the market outdoors is also safer and allows the museum exhibits to be enjoyed without them being blocked by artists’ booths, the museum said.

More than an art market, the festival is really a celebration put on by the museum offering a glimpse into all that it does to uplift and inform the public about the Native Nations in the region through art, music, lectures, demonstrations and performances. It will take place outdoors through all the parking lots on the museum’s campus.

“I am so excited that this festival brings together Indigenous artists from across the Colorado Plateau, the only such festival that I know of,” Kershaw said. “These artists will all share and celebrate their cultures from under the shade of tents among the tall pines surrounding the museum. In addition to over 100 artists from 10 different tribes, highlights include flute workshops with Aaron White, a presentation by fashion designer Patricia Michaels, as well as performances by the Zuni Water Striders, Dilzehe’e, Apache Singers and Yoyhoyam Hopi Youth Dancers.”

A juried competition will give out awards in 24 categories. While most of the categories will be open to all Heritage Festival artists, some are set aside specifically to recognize excellence in arts specific to the Hopi, Diné, Zuni and Pai.

The timeframe to enter art into the competition be from 9 a.m. – noon June 23, allowing more time than in past years for those who are traveling to enter their art.

Things to know:

Every purchase at the Heritage Festival benefits the artists, who take home 100 percent of their earnings. To help support MNA’s ability to continue to host the festival, donations and festival sponsorship are great options. Anyone interested in sponsorships can email development@musnaz.org

MNA is seeking volunteers for the event. Festival volunteers bring the artists water, give artists breaks, setup and restock refreshments, help with parking, assist visitors with festival information and much more. To volunteer contact msoliday@musnaz.org.

Admission costs have been reduced from 2022 for members and non-members.

Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

More information is available at https://musnaz.org/all-upcoming-events/heritagefestival/.

Artists sought for Sandusky Art Fair

By in Printmaking

Artists sought for Sandusky Art Fair
Sandusky Arts Council is seeking local artists to feature in the first Art Fair as part of the Sandusky Thumb Festival Saturday, June 24. Organizers are seeking submissions in the following categories: 2D mixed media; 3D mixed media; ceramics; digital art; drawing; fiber (including leather); glass; jewelry; metal; painting; photography; printmaking; sculpture; and wood. For

Voices of Youth: Photography and poetry on mental health and racism

By in Photography

Voices of Youth: Photography and poetry on mental health and racism
This article is part of Concentrate’s Voices of Youth series, which features content created by Washtenaw County youth in partnership with Concentrate staff mentors, as well as feature stories by adult writers that examine issues of importance to local youth. In this installment, student Alexa Oguejiofor examines examines depression, racism, and prejudice through her photography and poetry. Below you’ll see three poems by Alexa, her photography, and her artist’s statement on her photo.

The People With the Different Skin Tones

I hated the way they looked at me,
The way they peered at me as if I was some unknown artifact.
They made me want to rip off every inch of my skin.
They made me want to hide and to never be seen.
Those eyes
Those eyes
Those eyes haunt me
Where do I hide when I cannot change what I have been born with?
Where do I hide from all these violent crimes caused by the color of my skin?
Where do I hide from the policeman pointing the gun?
I have nowhere to go
As they shoot at me one by one.
Just because they had a different skin tone.

By the Color Of Our Skin, We Die

Racism
She never knew what that word meant 
Until one kid whispered “monkey” into her ear,
Until her teacher stared disgusted at her when she spoke.
She never knew that word
Until she heard Emmett’s whistle,
Until she heard George’s gasps for breath,
Until she heard Daunte’s plea and saw the taser hidden behind the cop’s back.
Racism tasted bitter on her tongue.
Racism was another word for death, she thought.

To Be a Person in Your Eyes

If we put the guns down,
If we lay them down with our pride and prejudices,
Our opinions without evidence,
There is a hope that you and me can live in harmony.
There is a chance that another Emmett can make it 
Till high school,
 A chance that another George can help others breathe again,
A chance where death can know no color, and love can reach all colors.

What Am I But Black in your eyes

To be human is to breathe 
To be human is to die
To be human is to love
To be human is not in the skin

To Be A Person in Your Eyes

~ Alexa Oguejiofor

imageimage

Artist’s statement: This artwork is about being depressed and alone. I used the black and white contrast to express how everything is seen by the deepest depths when you’re in the pit of depression. Even when something isn’t so bad, in the eyes of sadness it’s the destroyer of the little life you had. However, I’ve also set up the camera to capture the background where it is light. Even though the girl is surrounded in darkness, she is still hoping for light, for life.

Alexa Oguejiofor is a 10th grader at Lincoln High School. Concentrate staffers Lynne Settles and Sarah Rigg served as her mentors on this project.

To learn more about Concentrate’s Voices of Youth project and read other installments in the series, click here.

Enjoy this story? Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.
«< 105 106 107 108 109 >»