Today I went to my first video performance seminar with John Pilson. I am inspired by the work he shared with us and challenged by his questions. After the screening segment of the class, students are encouraged to discuss current projects, show rough cuts and request feedback. I didn't have anything prepared but I did show him 'kenya eats a cracker'. As a frame of reference for my developing video work he mentioned Hennessy Youngman. I countered with the incomparable Chuleta. After seeing the video below John spoke of the importance of competition within communities. During the conversation I realized that I do have a standing expectation that black artists have a "kumbaya" mentality. While this is generally the case, there is something important about the underlying sense of competition. We are urged by our contemporaries to do better or differently and that urging need not be a gentle mention but a side eye shout against bullshit.
(I heart Chuleta.)
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GREAT POINT! I, too, have felt very KUMBAYA-ish. I will also parry that our KUMBAYA-ness towards each other has alot to do with the fact that our competition has thusfar been with Gringolandia & Co. Why shove each other around when you have a bigger battles to fight and not enough manpower in smaller ranks? I suppose it depends on what you are making your work for? If it is for pure artistry, then forge on, Mr.Pilson, blades being sharpened, ore smelted, warriors preparing for battle. But if your slant is on activism, call on your like minded brethren, pull together, grab your swords, garbage cans, whatever you can carry and head towards the Big House... we got shit to do... but competition really does make a person rise. Real Talk.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. It seems another example that life is not "one" or the "other" it's achieving a balance of both...
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