#self-evident truths

[magesmeatymuses]

I love Himiko Yumeno.

That is all.

[runninghockeylife-blog]

Self Evident

Tomorrow, I begin another new chapter in my life. Simply put, I am starting my third decade of life.  Does this mean that I have things figured out? Nope, not even close! I am far from discovering what makes me.. well, me.  I have a few established a few self-evident truths about my life thus far. Some are rather obvious, others are a little more complex. The easy ones are thus: I am a daughter,…

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[medievalpoc]

Contemporary Art Week!

S. Ross Browne

Series: Self-Evident Truths

from the artist's statement:

These paintings represent a modern study in dichotomy and perception from a historical context using portraiture as the interpretive engine.

I often use the image of the black woman in unaccustomed/atypical context; derived to create a visual tension between historical fact, misinformation and myth. The viewer is lured into the possible narrative of the depicted figure by her beauty, strength and grace; however immediately enters an intellectual menagerie where they are confounded by the disconnected visual clues. Is she slave or slaveholder? Is she captive or free, is she servant or served? Is she factual or fictional in a historical context? All of these questions and more provide basis for the individual viewers journey of allegorical interpretation.

The images are imbued with cultural and ethnic symbolism that provides insight into the historical context of the painting. Yet, the icons, combined with my personal visual vocabulary, may remain unseen or misread by the “unknowing” eye; the eye that never learned the historic bases for all the possibilities in the lives of these women. In a society that often make instant cultural judgements based on visual cues that are often stereotypical, but not always, I feel offering ethnic imagery that defies common visual library of the modern citizen may challenge each individuals biases and foregone conclusions of their own notions of what race represents in history and therefore in humanity.

The images beg the question: Is “Truth” self-evident? Who’s “Truth”? How does knowledge, experience and perception of one’s “self” determine what is evident? If the view of oneself is skewed is it possible to see another clearly?

[tranquilizersforthesoul]

SPOILER WARNING: Don't watch this if you haven't played through Saints Row 2 -- and if you haven't, you really, REALLY ought to!

[killjoyfeminist]

Also, just to brag really quickly.

iO Tillett Wright sent me an email.  SHE SENT ME AN EMAIL HOLY CRAP.

Hey Helen/Samuel!

Thank you so much for writing. I'm sorry it took me a while to get to this. Things get hectic. 

In any case, I am so so happy that my talk was a positive thing in your life. That pretty much means I could stop now because I've achieved my goal of helping one person (but I'm not gonna, dont worry). 

I would love to come shoot in Davis when I'm next in California. How many people do you think you could realistically gather for a shoot day? If you can bring in a volume of people, then maybe we can make it work. 

Also, its worth mentioning that your school might have a budget for speakers, which is usually a way people get Self Evident to their town if we can't figure it out otherwise. 

Either way, we will make this happen. And stay strong. You have a HUGE family waiting to embrace you and whomever you love. 

All my best,

iO

GAH.  SHE'S GOING TO TAKE MY PICTURE.  THIS IS A BIG DEAL.  AND SHE SAID NICE THINGS ABOUT THE FUTURE AND I REALLY, REALLY NEEDED THAT EMAIL TODAY AND JUST GAH.