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The Kids are alright? (2020)
Memories/The Ballad of Birmingham | Part of Your World | Hide | Playing Games/Perfect Way to Die | What's Up Danger? | Never Can Say Goodbye/Remember Me | Otherside/Goin' Up Yonder | What's Going On?
Are we actively working to create a better world for our children to live in, or are we simply preparing them for the world that is a product of our own decisions? Can we truly say that in this day and age that the kids are alright?
Memories/The Ballad of Birmingham (2020)
Memories/The Ballad of Birmingham
When thinking about the well being of children in American society, it is important to remember that not all children are valued and cared for equally. Such was the case with the 4 black girls from the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing. They are historical proof that not all children are viewed the same and that people are very selective about which ones matter. With that being said, their tragic deaths should be a reminder that not even kids were spared from prejudiced and hate. The memories of these girls must live on so that we don’t allow tragedies like this to keep happening.
24" x 24", Acrylic on canvas.
24" x 24", Acrylic on canvas.
24" x 24", Acrylic on canvas.
24" x 24", Acrylic on canvas.
Part of Your World (2019)
Ariel, the Little Mermaid, longs to be apart of the human world, but she isn’t truly aware of the kind of world she wants to be apart of. She is asking to be apart of a world where a particular group of people pour outrage over her new appearance and are quick to hurl obscenities and insults towards her. Meanwhile, a little girl sees Ariel and is overjoyed at seeing another individual that looks like her. It makes one wonder whose world Ariel is trying to be apart of. Unaware of the puzzling realization that though this world belongs to all of us, some of us are treated as though we don’t belong in it.
Part of Your World
30" x 40", Acrylic on canvas.
Hide (2020)
You would think a child hiding behind a door would be apart of a game of Hide and Seek. But in the society we live in, there are children that don’t hide for fun. They look out their windows and see masked individuals marching through the streets with their weapons and they are not their to protect them. They are in a position to where they may not know what to do, except maybe hide and wait until they pass.
Hide
24" x 36", Acrylic on canvas.
Playing Games/Perfect Way
To Die (2020)
Imagine an auntie and her nephew spending time together, playing games at night time. Then all of a sudden, a bullet flies into the room. Is it a game or is it real? Who would’ve thought that some nice family time would be a perfect way to die?
Playing Games/Perfect Way To Die
24" x 36", Acrylic on canvas.
What's Up Danger? (2020)
The situation outside doesn’t look too safe. There is civil unrest, people that look like the little girl are being brutalized by those who are supposed to protect them (in theory), and there is a global pandemic going on with no sighs of slowing down. It would make more sense to keep the child at home away from the danger. That makes sense. But, instead we are more likely to send them out there and hope they stay safe. Instead of waiting for the dangers to subside or for others to remove the dangers, all we’re really doing is teaching our children to put themselves in the center of it and say “What’s up danger?”
What's Up Danger?
24" x 36" Acrylic on canvas.
Never Can Say Goodbye/Remember Me (2020)
Get this. A child gets separated from their parents. They are unable to give each other proper goodbyes. Some of these kids may be reunited with their parents, some may not be. The parents can only hope that their child remembers them throughout the ordeal, and vice versa.
Never Can Say Goodbye/Remeber Me
20" x 24", Acrylic on canvas.
Otherside/Goin' Up Yonder (2020)
Death is a hard topic to talk to kids about. But nowadays, it’s very common among them. Now, they are used to seeing family members getting killed, and even kids their age getting killed. Kids today are getting too used to seeing people they know and live go up yonder. And too often are kids headed to the otherside before it is their time.
Otherside/Goin' Up Yonder
24" x 30", Acrylic on canvas.
What's Going On? (2020)
What's Going On?
Everything that is happening to kids and everything than could happen to kids is overwhelming. And to think, imagine being a parent raising a child while all these things are happening. People getting punished with brutality, people spreading hate, and many people dying. When surrounded by all of this, what can you as a parent say to your child when they ask you “What’s going on?”
30" x 40", Acrylic on canvas.
Point of Departure: Longwood University Department of Theatre, Art, and Graphic Design 2021 Senior Exhibition.
Inspiring | Unapologetic | Black
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