Beyond iCelebrity!

by Morgan Gildersleeve

[beyondcelebrities2016]

DEAD DREAMS

this town is where dreams go to die where my bones will turn to ashes and the only fire that won’t burn everything it touches is the fire in my soul

I’ve lost time to people who never cared and spent too much money on hollow insecurities

sometimes I think I am living in a world that no one else is living in where flowers grow from concrete and those flowers don’t need to be pink to be beautiful

all of this driving is driving me out of my mind caught up on a million melodies that will never be sung but I’d rather be black and blue than alone with the silence of what could have been

I yearn to be remembered but I’ve locked my feelings in my chest and cast my lungs in gold freeze time in a box that can never be melted ‘cause that’s the only way my love for you will last forever

[beyondcelebrities2016]

Final Project Proposal

For my final project, I would like to create a photo story as well as a poem of sorts that accompanies the photos. I am very interested in exploring my own self and feelings in the context of the environment in which I grew up in ( a very small town on the eastern end of Long Island called Mattituck.) I would like to choose a young person who will be the subject of my photos, and link their experience growing up in our town to my experience in the form of a poem + photo series. Living in such a small town where I was surrounded by many narrow minded people, I often found myself feeling very isolated in many ways. I think that living in such an environment caused me to retract inward in order to escape my surroundings, and thus made me an even more reflective and thoughtful person. My hopes is to capture my experience (as well as that of the subject I choose) living in Mattituck in the most honest form.

[beyondcelebrities2016]

A Review: I Am Malala

This past week I read I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education by Malala Yousafzai. What an incredible read. This for me, was one of the most moving books I have personally ever read, and I have never been more inspired to continue to fight this battle for equality for women. The idea of equal rights for women (education being at the top of the list) for women around the world has been something that I have always been every passionate, and that is why I chose to read this book. It is a book that I have been eager to read since it came out, and this class was the perfect excuse to do so. There is no doubt in my mind that if equal education was available to all women, poverty, as well as countless other social issues facing our society would be greatly improved.

Nothing speaks to this notion more than the story of an 18-year-old Pashtun girl names Malala Yousafzai. Born to an illiterate mother and a father with a deep passion for learning, she grew up in Swat Valley, Pakistan, where her family runs a chain of schools. Taught by her father, who believes strongly in education and the power of women, she has always been particularly smart and courageous. The novel tells of the life-shattering day when her bravery and unwavering sense of justice was challenged, but not cracked. Living a life under Taliban occupation, where radical jihadists terrorized villages such as the one where she lived, Malala was fearless in standing up for equality and education in her native town. In this exhilarating and heart-wrenching memoir, she tells of the day (October 9, 2012) that she boarded her school bus in her town, was asked for by name, and shot directly in the head three times by a Taliban fighter simply for speaking out about her right to attend school.  

This novel is honest, bold, and extremely revealing about the realities of what is going on in the Middle East. Not only does it create awareness to people around the world about the unequal treatment women face because of their gender, but it speaks volumes to the amount of bravery and strength Malala possesses. She has risen above this tremendous tragedy, and has used it as a platform to continue to fight for the causes that nearly took her life. She is the voice for so many young women around the world who face the same unjust treatment that she faced. There is no doubt that her unfortunate mistreatment in combination with this book has catapulted her into popular discourse. She is a truly remarkable young woman whose courage and voice has and will continue to impact the lives of so many people around the world.  She did not hide her face when the Taliban so viciously insisted on it, she did not hide when she stood fearlessly in front of the United Nations in 2013, and she will not hide as she continues to fight for equal rights for all women around the world.

I will leave you with a few of my very favorite quotes by Malala…

“The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage were born."

"I raise up my voice not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back."

"So here I stand, one girl among many. I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their fights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated."

[beyondcelebrities2016]

A Review: Finding Vivian Maier

The documentary I chose to watch is “Finding Vivian Maier” by John Maloof and Charlie Siskell. Being a photographer myself, I have heard of Vivian Maier many times, however, I did not know very much about her work or her as a person. As an artist, I find that the most honest and intriguing work comes from some of the darkest and most difficult times in your life—that is how it is for me at least. From what I have learned in this documentary, I believe that it is safe to say that that is the case for Vivian Maier as well. Today, mainstream culture is exceptionally public—with social media, television and the Internet, privacy is no longer a popular condition. In fact, our lives revolve around attention and sharing our every move for the world to see. We follow celebrities and strive to be like them, and we are becoming more and more translucent beings, as we share more and more via the Internet. What struck me about Vivian Maier is how incredibly private and guarded she was. Although the people that knew her best speculate that her behavior stemmed from some sort of abuse, her life remains quite a mystery. As a very quiet, reflective person, I saw parts of me in Vivian. I am an introvert, an empath, and I am profoundly sensitive to the world around me. I think that people like me are rare in our society today. I often find myself feeling very alone with my thoughts and feelings, which causes me to want to protect them even more, because I don’t feel as though anyone will quite be able to understand or relate to who I am and how I think. As a creator, I observe, absorb, and make work that is as expressive and honest as possible—I put everything inside of me into my work because that is my only vehicle to release my emotions. When your work is so personal and honest, I feel that it is natural to be very private and almost protective over it. In watching this documentary, I think that is exactly how Maier’s felt. I think that mainstream culture has not only been impacted by the truthfulness in her work, but they are fascinated by the mystery that is Vivian Maier. We can piece together every facet of her life that was collected, recorded and left behind, but we will never quite know exactly what was going on inside of that cavernous mind of hers. Vivian was clearly a bit of a tortured soul, but she was incredibly sensitive, observant, and creative. Her work is impressively extensive, and perhaps almost obsessive. She clearly had a bit of an obsession with holding onto memories and facets of life, which is not only evident in the amount of photos and video that she shot, but the amount of objects that she held onto throughout her life. What is so fascinating about Maier’s work and life is that it was not appreciated until she was gone. I remember one of the interviewees questioning how pleased Vivian would be had she been aware of the attention her work is receiving. That is something that struck me. Essentially, her work was hidden during her life for a reason. She lived as a nanny, yet it has become obvious that she has so much more to offer to the world. But why did she not share all of her amazing photographs while she was alive? That is something that we can try to speculate, yet will never truly know. What we do know is that Vivian Maier was an incredibly independent, liberated woman who’s life will forever remain a mystery. Her work is some of the most honest, touching, and curious work I have ever seen, and watching this documentary has given me a sense of liberation as a creator. What a unique story of a profound human being. Perhaps her goal was to live a life that was as pure, honest, and private as possible, with the intention of her mysterious life being uncovered after she was gone. These are all facets of her life that we will never quite know—and that is what makes Maier so incredibly fascinating.

As a side, there has not been (to my knowledge) a viral social media campaign for this film that reached into my frequent platforms.

[beyondcelebrities2016]

Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton

​For the past three to four years I have been following author/photographer Brandon Stanton’s blog, Humans of New York. In his book Humans of New York: Stories, he tackles an idea that seems so simple and obvious, yet has never been done by anyone else—to create a visual census of New York City. He travels around the city interviewing and photographing people. It seems like a simple idea, but the stories that have come out of this simple project are brilliantly moving. As a fan of his first book, I was incredibly eager to get my hands on his second. The photos in this book are technically better, and the stories behind each photograph are even more intriguing and in-depth than his first book.   

As a visual person, I find this style of a book to be easy to digest, yet incredibly captivating. When I first viewed this book, I spent three hours sitting on the floor of Barnes and Noble crying, and laughing as I read some of the most honest, silly and heart wrenching stories I have ever read. I found myself able to relate to almost every one of the stories that Brandon captures. 

What I found most interesting about Brandon’s approach is that he does not sneakily take photos of these people. Instead, he creates a judgment free relationship with each of his subjects, making for an inspirational reading and viewing experience. He successfully breaks down the awkward wall that exists between passing strangers on the street, and creates the largest and most diverse collection of true and gripping stories in one book that I have ever come across. 

[he-killing-me-softly-deactivate]

Cz all of my kindness is taken for weakness.

[rukudzom-deactivated20160319]

what i need😩😩

[meandmywhitefriends-deactivated]

[beyondcelebrities2016]

Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Father of Street Art

Jean-Michel Basquiat may have lived a short life, but it was full and rich, and will be remembered for decades to come. Born on December 22, 1960 in Brooklyn, his life was cut short on  August 12, 1988 due to a heroin overdose at his art studio on Great Jones Street in Manhattan. Starting on the streets of Brooklyn, where he sold sweatshirts and postcards featuring his artwork, he swiftly found himself making and showing his work beside his mentor Andy Warhol.

After quitting High School a year before graduating, Basquiat ran away from home, slept on park benches, and made NYC his canvas by tagging subways and buildings with cryptic messages and imagery. Working with his close friend Al Diaz, he attracted attention for his graffiti in the late 1970’s under the name “SAMO.”

After struggling on the streets for three years, he found his work in a group show, where it was praised. People were infatuated by his mixing of words and imagery. Quickly, his work became adorned by an art loving public, and his original pieces were being sold for $50,000. Approximately five years after, he collaborated with Andy Warhol (who became his mentor and best friend,) and they showed together in New York City. His work was exhibited around the country and the world, including at the Kestner-Gesellschaft Gallery in Hanover, Germany, he was the youngest artist to ever showcase his work.

What inspires me so much about Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work is that it was always true to his spirit, and reflected his feelings, life, and the world around him in the most honest and bold fashion. Although he was not alive in my lifetime, i find myself infatuated by the stories and mysteries that live within his work. The most inspiring and moving art to me is abstract enough that it does not discriminate against any viewer. Great art ( in my opinion) has the ability to touch and move any viewer, no matter what they are going through or how they see the world. I may look at one of Basquiat’s paintings an be touched or moved in a completely different way, and for a completely different reason than the next person. However, what remains constant is his ability to spark an emotion in his viewers. I find the way in which he explores the inner vs the physical experience of an individual in our society to be thoughtful, and extremely important to this day.

Unlike many “celebrities” today, he became famous for one reason, and that is because of his art. Without an explanation, his work spoke for itself as it bravely shined light on the dichotomy of wealth/poverty and racial segregation. Although Basquiat did not start any non-profit organizations during his short lifetime, he did use his very public platform to address important social issues regardless of how his white audience would received it. He remained loyal to his beliefs and put his truth over appeasing every single one of his spectators.I think it is safe to say that he was the most influential artist of his generation, and the rise of modern street art would not have happened without him.