Post 5: Manifestos
Michael D’Antuono’s “A Tale of Two
Hoodies."
This one definitely tears at the
veil, or should I say “hood”, between art and reality. This definitely welcomes
a deadly combination of violence and intelligence. In a well-constructed piece
of art, the eyes move to different focal points of the work as one makes sense
of it and they are either moved or not moved. With A Tale of Two Hoodies,
my eye was drawn to four parts initially and in specific succession; the cop’s
hands with his gun, the boy’s eyes of offering, the boy’s outstretched hand
with sweeties, and the cop’s eyes under the hood. A circular pattern continued
between these four points in this order, cycling the feelings I had into a
stronger and growing response.
This painting was created during the
Trayvon Martin case and symbolizes the unfortunate and severe presence of
racism within the criminal justice system. When George Zimmerman was trying to
profit from his notoriety of killing an unarmed teenager by selling his
painting on eBay, Michael D’Antuono posted this piece on eBay, offering half of
the proceeds go to the Trayvon Martin Foundation.
This piece is meant to make the
viewer uncomfortable and provoke action. In the posting of this painting to eBay
in 2014 as a response to others trying to exploit the sales of artwork, the
sale was shut down by eBay because it glorified a hate group. What eBay didn’t
realize was that the site was selling over 1500 other items supporting the KKK
at the time. In 2015, a hate group
misrepresented the painting’s meaning and co-opted the piece in Michigan. A
teacher in Nevada was suspended in 2016 for using the painting to inspire
critical thought.
It is completely valid to investigate
tragedy in the form of art when considering this example. This piece makes me
investigate beyond the tragedy itself to question “How did we get here?” and “How
can we change the conversation and prevent similar situations from happening in
the future?” It could be argued that this piece stepped over the line or that
it is promoting the very thing that it is trying to showcase in order to rebut.
What makes it art? It pays attention to composition, it irrefutably makes a
statement, and it has been received as art by an audience of people for and
against its viewing.
MINI MANIFESTO:
Racism within the criminal justice system is a real concern.
This unequal treatment and abuse of power affects the lives of more people than
we can prove in this moment. In order for statistical data to be conducted and
real change to happen, we must bring this concern to the surface for the masses
and shed light on the reality of this racism, before more innocent people are
slaughtered. Trayvon Martin was one in many who died to young as the result of
a society that has forgotten to instill hope and love into its young people of
all colors and creeds. It is time to get angry. It is time to fight back. It is
time to make statements that provoke more voices to be heard that we, the
people, believe in equality and the removal of racism from our streets. This is
especially important for the people we are supposed to trust to protect us. No
one should live in fear from the people who have sworn to protect them! No one!
I charge you to take command of what is within your power to speak, peaceably fight,
build our supportive numbers, and act in a way that will be heard and
reverberate to make the lasting difference! When online bidding for the gun George
Zimmerman’s used to kill Trayvon Martin is estimated to sell for $65 Million,
there has got to be many things we can do to use this commercial popularity to
turn the tide around for the Trayvons of the world. We need art that will show
them the current situation. Art that hurts. But art that shows the humanity
that we are losing and want to regain. Show us how to regain our humanity.
Where is the heart in the anger of this situation? Find it, and paint it!
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