Sembene McFarland
“Black / African American”
© Noelle Théard for (1)ne Drop
This is part of that (1)ne Drop photo documentary (the video about it is on my blog). Definitely one of the most powerful images in the group. (And this is obvious evidence of why I was so intrigued…)
This is a quote from the girl in the picture that they share on the website:
“A lot of people just look and see skin color. I’ve actually had people ask me was I Black or was I White first. A White gentleman came up to me and said ‘I thought you might be White, but then I saw your lips.’ One girl said to me ‘I’ve been wanting to ask you this question, but I didn’t feel comfortable asking you because I thought that you might be offended, but are you Black or are you White?’ And I was just like, ‘Well, I’m always Black.’ When we were done with the meat of the conversation, she laughed and said something about my hair and my butt gave it away. People definitely let you know that they view being Black as being very literal – the amount of pigment you have. ‘Your skin is White, therefore you’re White. Or are you?’
-Sembene McFarland
© 2012 Black Fiya Works
I’m writing an exhibition review paper on this project, and I really found it fascinating…I’ve mentioned it on this blog before; it’s a project by a visiting Africana studies professor at my school, Yaba Blay. They don’t need funding anymore, though.
If I can manage to get the file off my phone I’ll post the recording of her lecture on it soon enough. I remember laughing so much, because she mentioned the #TeamLightSkin and #TeamDarkSkin nonsense on Twitter, and I was like, ohhh my goodnessss, lol, this woman gets it. She’s really cool. I’m so sad I can’t get to be in her class because she’s leaving next year.
http://1nedrop.com
I love the fashion, and the food everywhere, and the amazing gigantic stores, I don’t even care for the lights..wait, no, I actually do. I care for the lights. They’re beautiful at night. I love the people walking fast, and all their fashionistas and fashionistos, and their exciting department stores, and the yellow taxis, and the people everywhere. I love how different Brooklyn looks from Manhattan, I love the bridge, I love the way the place feels in warm weather. I love the cute little buildings, and the cute little storrreess! With cute little names like Shoegasm and think coffee and I LOVE the fact that the CVS can be in this romantic (lol) pretty building, like it just can. It’s so cool. I love the fact that the subway is all connected (lol that sounds so daft, but really if you notice it, you appreciate it…not having to walk out every time or look for some line’s platform that might be miles away or something, and not having to spend more than an hour or a few minutes to get anywhere). I love the fact that people are always playingg in the subway :DD I love the fact that you can see these incredibly well-dressed people on the subway. I love the fact that are a million plus a million and one places to see and things to do. I love the fact that all the streets are connected (lool I mean, honestly. From 51st you definitely move to 52nd. You don’t usually see some random street on the next block saying like Morris Avenue or something that will make you wonder if you’re lost or in the wrong direction). I love that it has the best pizzaaa! I love the fact that there are so many schools and so many TV shows and so many famous stores and companies found there. I love the fact that it still has Central Park, and that it looks amazing. I love the fact that the park is so big. I love the fact that there are so many different kinds of buildings, from large Greek or Renaissance-style buildings to more modern architecture. I love the fact that the streets say the same thing. I can’t really explain that. But yeah, I love the fact that they do.
I love how large open spaces surprise you, and I love the way they don’t. I like how you can get anywhere from anywhere, and that when darkness falls it only gets better. (Not many cities can boast of that, I think. Forget about the major cities you know, I’m talking about the other ones you don’t know..lmao like mine).
I love it. I do.
Image Copyright Andrea Hayford. 2012.
_____________________________________________________________________
I’m trying to clear my head. I don’t write/”write” or even rant often enough. Or say whatever’s on my mind without caring what I’m saying and saying it the way I would think it or how I would want it. And I know it’s therapeutic. So maybe I’ll try it more often.
Yeah, I’m done talking about New York. (And no, it’s not my first time being there e_e)
Pictures from the writing marathon we had quite a long time ago, sponsored by the literary magazine and the English department.
I’m tired, otherwise I would have talked more enthusiastically about it. But anyway I wrote something (or I tried to) based on the reddish painting with the curved or moving figures. I don’t know, it looked like moving figures to me and different scenes of people dancing put together. And I kind of went on a tangent, slightly, when I was thinking but I basically came up with this. (lol actually kind of, you’ll see..)
Aurora Borealis
Like fire he moved around her waist…
Around her thighs
Drew love around her neck
Around her eyes
Their feet met every few seconds
Switched
Said hello
Goodbye.
Her heart is beating
Faster than the percussion
Soul moving
Deeper than the bass drum
He is the wind.
She is the dawn.
Together they breed fire
Burning
Piercing life
Moving faster
Painting the sky
Bright lines intersecting
Tracing
Blurring
Distorting
Enhancing
Deepening
Colliding
Becoming
One.
I actually added like 13 lines inside right now, to my surprise..lol. It’s actually much different from what I wrote down. LOL. Muuchh different. It was like 3 stanzas, short and abrupt as anything and didn’t include the 4th and 5th ones. It’s an attempt. Basically. lol
I used three of these pictures for my photo assignment on depth of field. Later on I’ll edit and upload more pictures I took randomly, on my photo blog. (here)
The day I start putting my own stuff up (coming very soon..hopefully even tomorrow), walai.
I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t do fashion photography.
Ahhhhh (going a little crazy)
I borrowed three photography/art/media books in the library tonight (after not reading since this summer), with font sizes of about 8pt - no exaggeration - and about 100 pages each. One’s about models in general - in all types of visual art, one talks about art in the aftermath of 9/11 and the third’s just a random one about art/media and fantasy (not in the “Alice in Wonderland” sense but..like Metamorphosis [Kafka] and ish).
And I was EXCITED. and ENGROSSED when I skimmed. And I wanted to borrow MORE. I could live on that floor of the library. And read and look for hours. God did something funny and sewed my constant desire to see images to my friggin veins when I was born. Scares me.
lol ei! 0_o
Hmm I do need to get my imagination game up, though :/ Lower than usual -_-
Anh, it’s cuz I don’t have time to think and daydream. hmph
