Banner Art: Detail from “One War at a Time” Artistic Noise, 2015
Host Program:
Artistic Noise, Art and Entrepreneurship Program
Media: Acrylic paint on canvas
Adult Mentors:
Lead Teaching Artist: Vanessa Ruiz
Assistant Teaching Artists: Minotte Romulus and Jen Miller
Art Intern: Avi Ber
BU Wheelock Student Liaison: Taylor Connolly
Youth Artists:
Brajon, Dani, Danny, Elmer, Geno, Malik, Quasaia, Rashid,
ShaAsia, Shana and Tyree
Age Range: 16-21
Artist Statement
“With or Without" is a painting with two sides that was inspired by the spoken word artist, Prince EA. This piece represents our world with and without Ubuntu. On the left is an abandoned house, which represents our community without the love, care, and understanding of Ubuntu. The once beautiful house is now in shambles and showing the aftermath of the violence and injustice that plagues our neighborhoods. It is a stark warning of how our entire world can fall apart if we don’t come together and help each other.
On the right side is a poem- the voice of our youth. We worked together to vocalize our views and opinions about how the world could be if we all came together and actively engaged in Ubuntu. The reoccurring line, “When hatred turns into compassion, when cruelty turns into kindness, communities will start to come together like families,” pin points the simple things we can do in our everyday lives to bring Ubuntu to the ones we love and transform our communities.
Project Image
