when current events weigh heavy and loom in the air we breath, every question comes to mind. I wander through feelings of anger, confusion, disappointment and guilt. as I continue down my trail of thoughts, I pass that indication of awareness and acknowledge that through this tragic moment truth has been illuminated. I pause and remind myself that truth is power; that by knowing the true thought processes of others, we can continue to sharpen our tools to better harness our power.
the second trail marker is more puzzling and speaks to how I will act on that awareness. my tools for action are different from yours, and the diversity in the methods we leverage are an asset to our fight. your weapon is a protest demonstration, a run for city council, a facebook post, a sign in your front yard. and, our weapons may change depending on the day and subject under fire. this blog feels like the most useful tool for me at the moment; a minuscule contribution, but not nothing.
Tyree Guyton's weapon is his art. Guyton is the mind and artist behind Detroit's Heidelberg Project, a battle in the war on urban blight. This work is an example of fighting with the tools of hope and empowerment, as opposed to anger and violence. From my few moments walking through those couple city blocks, I found that his work enabled people walking on separate paths to intersect for a brief moment; a true artistic feat.
"When you come to the Heidelberg Project I want you to think-really think! My art is a medicine for the community. You can’t heal the land until you heal the minds of the people."