When I was in sixth grade, back in the days of "sixth grade centers" way before middle schools. The class I was in was given a laminated poster, of a monkey. It seem harmless enough, but let me expand on my class we were all composed of the problem students, the worst students from each class at the school. The monkey on the poster is upside down on a sofa with books beside him and some on the floor. The book that the monkey has open is Black Beauty also it some other titles that are clearly visible Within the Law and Year of the Gorilla also on the floor is a Coca Cola can, huh...
Is this by coincidence that this particular group of students recieved that poster. We were 12-13 yr olds at that time, just misguided kids, with the wrong group trying to steer us. We ultimately had the entire world open to us, but someone or group or system seem to try and alot us particular destiny. No other class got that laminated poster, just ours. Was the Coca Cola can there by chance? hmm...
Almost 20 some odd years later looking at the poster things haven't changed much, with the education system. Me feeling like the one that escaped through the cracks and made it. I still feel a little dishearten though, by the time I was 9th and 10th grade it seemed like the core group of that class was in adult prison or jail for committing some serious crime or going to the special school for troubled youth, I on the other hand was actually going to the other special school for gifted, the School of the Arts.
During this past Christmas time ( Nov- Dec.) I was looking at a Essence magazine and saw a Coca Cola add. It struck a nerve with in me, It was a picture of 12-13 yr adolescence with headphones on and a big grin. Also, it had a Black Beauty book with in the add. The boy seemed to echo the monkey in the poster, I wondered is that how that particular group sees African Americans as red and white Coke drinking monkeys! Just give then a Coca Cola and the happy! Actually at that point I wasn't!
So last year during the holiday season I began the brainstorming part of this multimedia interactive piece of art, dealing with this issue. It's going to be a serious intensive project, dealing with crowd response. Im very excited.
I AM Gary L. Grier
ps. dont accept my imitation, there just followers, Also I heard from a person I admired "how do eat an elephant? just one bite at a time" problems are never as big or insurmountable as they seem...
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Guess What? I SNITCH!
What I have endured since my return from Charleston, has been anything less than atrocious. The way certain groups are seem to be threaten by a creative mind that owns who he is. That insecurity has reared it's teeth in various different forms with jealously, hostility by many different groups. Them even trying to induce hostility with in me ( that another paper dealing with cooning, blackface and quarters) Yall have tried opposing me, an established artist/creative life that ultimately wants to contribute honestly to the wider artistic community. Right people are just that though, it saddens me.
I have been tortured and held captive in my parents home and have endured inhumane treatment. The individuals ( my clones) that have stolen my ideas intellectual property have prospered ( I'm currently in the process now of perusing legal matters), why the authentic ( me) have been fight for my soul. This is not just A. My parents and others have tried to kill more than just my artist spirit. Some of yall should be in jail for what yall have been doing here( in Jacksonville). Things that I develop they try and hold it for ransom. Though if it's mine I usually get it back.
They also refer to call trapping and hunting "school" and "sports". I have been caught up in a robin- hood system of sorts, but besides stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. They try stealing from the spiritually rich and the specials individuals that set out to change things positively in those environments and give to a select few that don't deserve it. I went to college, traveled abroad, I had the courage to walk away from the negative, challenged myself in different situations and scenarios all pushing myself to be an better individual. All the while some seemed to settle, my thing is if didn't work for it and make the sacrifices and take the risk to attain certain things others don't deserve the rewards. ( I'm not talking about football) That's a system where others organize under real team banners and do everything from stealing and killing ( which some term as hitting) and sex. There's tons to profit from the victors that's that loot and share the spoils. They steal identities, personal and private information. A pedestrian just riding the bus or going to library to check your emails, the unsuspecting victim or mark as there termed, can have there most private information stolen from them. Urban institutions are aligned with local government everybody seems to be involved. Kona Schooling is also set up as a way for all these groups to do this. They even get local government backing and support.
All this disappoints me here, while I was in Charleston I was able to contribute to the wider community and give back in very real and tangible ways. Like exhibiting my paintings in credible galleries and museum's exhibitions, also doing honorable things within the community from teaching art to kids in less fortunate areas to doing drawing workshops at the college there. Here all yall do is seem to erect barriers physically and emotionally to try and stop me from reaching the wider artistic base here and contributing in ways like I did in the past.
Just me,
The one and only Gary Grier 3.5.15
this was originally journal in Dec. 2014
ps. in the urban communities within hip hop culture there was a sayingthat went around during the late 90's and 2000's "Don't Snitch". The campaigns people in the wider urban community were influence by Rappers and other Right influences in there area. Everybody seemed to either quote the campaign and adorn "T - Shirts" and other garment with the slogan. These areas were the typically poor and impoverished, where drugs, gangs. lawlessness ran ramped on the left and right side. The people were and are bullied and scared to tell what about what truly happens with in those communities, creating catch 22 scenario's. If nobody speaks up nothing changes. Well I want to Start the opposite with "I Snitch" campaign. The people have the power to change things if they have the courage to speak up.
I have been tortured and held captive in my parents home and have endured inhumane treatment. The individuals ( my clones) that have stolen my ideas intellectual property have prospered ( I'm currently in the process now of perusing legal matters), why the authentic ( me) have been fight for my soul. This is not just A. My parents and others have tried to kill more than just my artist spirit. Some of yall should be in jail for what yall have been doing here( in Jacksonville). Things that I develop they try and hold it for ransom. Though if it's mine I usually get it back.
They also refer to call trapping and hunting "school" and "sports". I have been caught up in a robin- hood system of sorts, but besides stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. They try stealing from the spiritually rich and the specials individuals that set out to change things positively in those environments and give to a select few that don't deserve it. I went to college, traveled abroad, I had the courage to walk away from the negative, challenged myself in different situations and scenarios all pushing myself to be an better individual. All the while some seemed to settle, my thing is if didn't work for it and make the sacrifices and take the risk to attain certain things others don't deserve the rewards. ( I'm not talking about football) That's a system where others organize under real team banners and do everything from stealing and killing ( which some term as hitting) and sex. There's tons to profit from the victors that's that loot and share the spoils. They steal identities, personal and private information. A pedestrian just riding the bus or going to library to check your emails, the unsuspecting victim or mark as there termed, can have there most private information stolen from them. Urban institutions are aligned with local government everybody seems to be involved. Kona Schooling is also set up as a way for all these groups to do this. They even get local government backing and support.
All this disappoints me here, while I was in Charleston I was able to contribute to the wider community and give back in very real and tangible ways. Like exhibiting my paintings in credible galleries and museum's exhibitions, also doing honorable things within the community from teaching art to kids in less fortunate areas to doing drawing workshops at the college there. Here all yall do is seem to erect barriers physically and emotionally to try and stop me from reaching the wider artistic base here and contributing in ways like I did in the past.
Just me,
The one and only Gary Grier 3.5.15
this was originally journal in Dec. 2014
ps. in the urban communities within hip hop culture there was a sayingthat went around during the late 90's and 2000's "Don't Snitch". The campaigns people in the wider urban community were influence by Rappers and other Right influences in there area. Everybody seemed to either quote the campaign and adorn "T - Shirts" and other garment with the slogan. These areas were the typically poor and impoverished, where drugs, gangs. lawlessness ran ramped on the left and right side. The people were and are bullied and scared to tell what about what truly happens with in those communities, creating catch 22 scenario's. If nobody speaks up nothing changes. Well I want to Start the opposite with "I Snitch" campaign. The people have the power to change things if they have the courage to speak up.
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