Thank you for your very insightful comments on Wal-Mart. Your words are all very thought provoking.
I wanted to give you a second chance to sit with some of Tom Stone’s photographs. There are a few new ones on his webpage (some are incredibly disturbing) that we did not see in the show up in Feldman-Horn.
What did you think about our discussion in class? Did the photographs confirm or change your views?
I’m going to post his statement again, even though it is on his web page. What did you think of it? Did something resonate with you, upset you?
And lastly which photograph(s) moved you most or disturbed you most? I’d love to have some dialogue about poverty in America.
http://www.tomstonegallery.com/about/
To my thinking, the original human trauma is our separation. We are too close not to need each other; and too far to trust each other. We rely on dubious senses and clever devices to interact; but we are alone in our thoughts. Lonely, insecure and uncertain; we pair, we group, we associate. We try to belong and we seek to exclude. We form bonds by geography, religion, economy and otherwise. But it is all precarious. We come together and we drive apart.
And we climb our ladder. We step away from those who don’t belong and help those who do. We are connected rung by rung – though less and less – as we push and pull. But some do not climb; and below, the earth is littered with them. They fit too poorly. They stand apart. They stand without.
And what of them; these ones who don’t belong or who are excluded; who don’t fit or don’t try? Is there nothing they value? Is there nothing of them we value? I count it as a measure of our ignorance, the depth of poverty in the world. It’s a glaring marker to how far we have not come. Yet it has also driven our advance; on less fortunate backs and against less fortunate fate.
But is there really no connection there? Does such fate – whether choice or circumstance – speak nothing of us? Tell me we do more than advance in place; with so many left behind. Or promise me we can do better. Say we can reflect ourselves; us and them... That we can see the ways we overlap and distinguish the ways we grow apart. And pledge that we can learn; to fit all of our misshapes; to reward value beyond charity and beyond the marketplace; to be better to each other; to be better ourselves. And promise me it could be a better world. Or tell me we are at our best.
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15 comments:
i think that when we were viewing the photographs in the gallery, it really opened my eyes to a whole new world. Stone really captured poverty in america in its truest form. it was upsetting to know that while are biggest worries are about which college we are going to, they worry about surviving. Such a huge contrast is hard to fathom. It was upsetting and it made me feel appreciative of what i have. I knew people had it bad, and i knew poverty like that existed, but we only talk about it and we never really visualize it. i think that Stone truly did a remarkable job in making many people realize the true world around them. I just cant belive that my worries are so minimal compared to their worries.
Well I wasn't in class for the group discussion, but seeing this gallery really made me feel connected to a side of our community that we're not frequently exposed to. Going to a nice private, school and living in such a sheltered area of Los Angeles is a privilege i think the majority of us take for granted. It's sad to say it, but I think that people typically recognize their affluence by seeing the alternative, which is belittling to the impoverished but is also what initiates the action taken to help abolish poverty.
Tom's statement is what moved me the most when looking at the pictures. I first read it after I had already looked at a several of the pictures. I was with my art class, and my teacher told us to take notes on reoccuring patterns we noticed, emotions we felt, or anything that really resonated with us. My notes talked about isolation and exclusion, how these people felt a sense of loneliness or abandonment. There were few who weren't forgiving, and others who were compassionate and selfless about their past, accepting those who hurt them and trusting ones who defied them. Many of the characters strongly believed in luck, while others were religious, searching for peace with God's guidance.
What's so amazing is how much we neglect in these people. We see homeless people on the street, and disregard them as if they're so simple and only want one thing. But the thing we don't stop to think about is how they are just like us. They live for love like we do, they yearn for acceptance like we do, and they search high and low to find happiness like we do. As Tom said, "We are too close not to need each other; and too far to trust each other...We come together and we drive apart." This sense of separation could easily be broken, if people took the time and made the initiative to not only help the homeless, but really appreciate what they have. Tom's message isn't to donate to the poor and always give a beggar a dollar when you walk by, but rather to eliminate the sense of separation and dissociation within the community and unite together as one.
Wow coco i never thought it about that way. i guess your right about toms message being that helping the poor financially isn't enough but by feeling connected to them can change everything. i also felt really connected when i was in the gallery and to see all those people kind of made me realize how the world really is. We are separated in so many different ways. I guess its time we all start to take a step in feeling connected with each other.
The photo gallery was really moving, and I feel that while some may think the atmosphere in which we viewed the photos (with the teacher party thing) was sort of anti what we were supposed to feel and not how we were supposed to view it, but I really think that viewing it in that environment was beneficial. It gave us a real understanding of the differences between our lives and the lives of others, and I know at least for me I feel distant from them. That party thing really made me realize how different we all are and gave me a whole new perspective, and I feel as though this environment made it more powerful. Not only were the photos themselves impactful in their own way, but reading their stories in the way in which they were written was what really got to me. I remember one specific story about a man who seemed happy and then he decided to shoot himself; to me, this story was both sad but I really noticed the way that Stone told us of what had happened--through the visual of the man and through a well-written and sort of... I dont really know a word to use but it was very powerful. When we did that sort of "found poem" in class, my line was: "It’s a glaring marker to how far we have not come." This line is still in my mind and I still am bothered by how truthful this statement is.
I completely agree with Charlie. When we went as a class to see the photographs it was my second time seeing the show, and was much more disturbing to the point where I had to wrap up quickly and sit outside. The photographs greatly reflect what I experience volunteering a homeless shelter. Yes it's true that you get the occasional schizophrenic/alcoholic sterotype, but the amazing thing to see is people who come in whom you would never peg as being in such need as they truly are, especially children. It is heart-wrenching. I was reminded of my experiences of seeing homeless children come to the shelter while reading the stories of those who had run away, or who were essentially children themselves. I feel homelessness and American poverty are greatly underrepresented issues, but I feel they're slowly coming closer into focus in this country. Over the past few or four years I've seen a growing number of reports on domestic poverty on shows like 20/20, 60 minutes, Oprah, etc. These families that are truly, truly in need are often shoved under the rug in the public eye, which is deeply saddening. It's extremely difficult to discuss ethics and morality regarding poverty in gross terms, but when you see individual people and hear their stories it really hits home how much we have and have been blessed.
I agree with Shawn in saying that our worries, while they may seem like the most important thing in the world to us, are easily not the biggest worries one can have, and this photo exhibit really opened my eyes up to this. Our worries seem so trivial and not as important as theirs. I also agree with Coco in that it is our responsibility to help the less fortunate not just financially but by trying to connect on a more personal level. I'm reminded of this one story where my friends and I were walking in westwood unknowingly passing by these homeless people on the sidewalk when one comes up to us and he was saying things like, "I take visa and mastercard" and being very playful. Sure, he was trying to get some money from us and we did give it to him, but now after seeing this gallery I realize that he was trying to use humor to connect to us, even if it was just for a moment. These people are just that--they're people, and this gallery made me realize both we and they need connections on a more personal level then just financial support.
I agree with Shawn in saying that our worries, while they may seem like the most important thing in the world to us, are easily not the biggest worries one can have, and this photo exhibit really opened my eyes up to this. Our worries seem so trivial and not as important as theirs. I also agree with Coco in that it is our responsibility to help the less fortunate not just financially but by trying to connect on a more personal level. I'm reminded of this one story where my friends and I were walking in westwood unknowingly passing by these homeless people on the sidewalk when one comes up to us and he was saying things like, "I take visa and mastercard" and being very playful. Sure, he was trying to get some money from us and we did give it to him, but now after seeing this gallery I realize that he was trying to use humor to connect to us, even if it was just for a moment. These people are just that--they're people, and this gallery made me realize both we and they need connections on a more personal level then just financial support.
Going to the gallery was a really touching, eye-opening experience. Seeing the faces of these people so intimately and so up close makes you realize how many faces and how many people you don't see, and you don't care about. It's like we get so self-involved that we forget to look for the value in everyone. I think Stone's gallery was an effort to persuade us to remember these people, remember that they exist and that they are, in fact, PEOPLE, just like us. It reminds me of a quote from the Great Gatsby that I'm very embarrassingly going to cite: "'Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone...just remember that all the people in this world havn't had the advantages that you've had.'" It seems a difficult task for our society to keep such ethics in mind. Instead, we seem to lean more on the ideas of the Gospel of Success, convincing ourselves that there is a legitimate reason why these people are where they are. But when reading Stone's accounts of their lives, the reasons seem far from fair. Abandoned at birth. Born with mental disabilities. Handicapped by physical deformities. Products of racism, sexism, corruption. Are these people really deserving of their status, or are they merely victims of our own corrupt society? Is it we who have inadvertently created this lower class through our own corruption and harsh judgement? It is possible that we might never give someone so different the opportunity to succeed. It's like Allie's story about the guy who went to McDonalds to "shower" before he went to work so his boss wouldn't know he was homeless. Would his boss even give him a chance if his boss knew the homeless man's true conditions? Potentially, no. Probably no. This gallery is a chance for us to look the problem of poverty and the social class system in the face.
Charlie, I can really identify with that experience you had with a homeless man in Westwood. There are a lot of homeless people in Westwood, but while we go there to see a movie and hang out its hard to imagine that those streets are where these people sleep. A year or two ago when I was in Westwood I was sitting outside the starbucks waiting for my dad to pick me up. It was freezing, but there were no seats inside. I was by myself and noticed that there was a homeless man on the bench near me. It was hard not to notice. He was banging on a guitar and singing loudly and raspily. At first I was scared, and thought his noise was obtrusive and unpleasant. I figured he might leave or be quiet after a couple of minutes, but he did neither. Instead he sat there playing and singing, his words usually indecipherable and totally random. Then I remember that a huge group of kids decked out in USC gear went into the starbucks. They were between 6 and 10 or something, and mostly hispanic. They were obviously on a feildtrip of some sort. Anyway, while their friends were getting starbucks, a few of them went up to the homeless man. They casually struck up a conversation, asking him where he got his guitar and how he learned how to play. He told them a very nice lady gave it to him, and then he taught himself. As more kids filed out of the starbucks, they began to congregate around this man, laughing and asking questions and making jokes. They begged him to play a song. He joyfully complied, singing something about grace. This time as I listened to his music I heard not rough, disjointed noises but a beautiful song, sanguine and encouraging despite the icy cold air. When he finished, the children clapped and hooted. Then one small boy, who must have been 7 at the oldest, took off his little backpack, untied the strings and pulled from its depths a wrinkly one dollar bill. He handed it to the man, looking extremely proud of himself for coming up with the idea. All the kids followed his example. It was one of the most incredible things I've ever witnessed. Here were these young children giving up their feild-trip money to this homeless man. They were obviously not an affluent bunch, and yet these little philanthropists probably completed the largest mass donation any homeless singer had ever received. I was so impressed by them, their innocent trust and good will, and yet so ashamed at the same time. While these kids treated the homeless man like a human being, I had feared him and regarded him as some sort of creep. When my dad finally picked me up, i gave him 5 dollars. But more importantly, I looked him in the eyes. I said hello. I smiled. He asked me if I wanted a song. I said I had to go, but thanks anyway. He said he'd play it for me next time.
As soon as we walked into the exhibit, I realized how distracting the teacher appreciation day set-up was, so I decided to completely ignore everything around me and just approach each photograph by looking into the eyes of the person pictured. Before even reading the excerpts, I just stood and examined. I can't explain how moving it was. By looking into their eyes, I felt connected, as if I was interacting or having a conversation with them: listening to their stories. My biology teacher actually came up to me and started talking about something, but I have no idea what he even said because I was so involved with the photographs.
Two summers ago, when I went to the National Coalition for the Homeless my entire perspective on homelessness changed drastically. When I was younger, I thought that all homeless people had been kicked out of their homes because of drug abuse and peddled on the streets hoping for drug money. I was so narrow-minded and completely wrong. I mentioned in class the man I met who went to McDonalds every morning to "shower" in the sink so that his employer would not know about his homelessness. Even though he was employed and worked hard for every cent he earned, he was still unable to afford to support himself and was left alone on the streets. Another woman I met had gotten herself out of homelessness but a piece of her was eternally changed: because every person that walked by would ignore her and pretend they couldn't see or hear her, she began to feel invisible and developed very serious depression. Even having been out of homelessness for years, she is still immensely affected by the treatment she got as a woman on the streets. She told us that the best thing you can do would not even have to be giving money to a homeless person, but to simply smile or say hello: treat them like human beings. That was such a valuable lesson for me, and I truly hope that everyone is able to take that advice to brighten the day of someone else who is less fortunate.
The most moving photograph in Tom Stone's exhibit for me was:
http://www.tomstonegallery.com/photography/large.aspx?id=longshoreman
The furrow in his brow and his watery eyes display James's lack of hope for the future, which is truly despairing.
Shawn had a really good point: while we are so preoccupied with the SATs, our transcripts, and our extracurriculars, the people in the exhibit are preoccupied with mere survival. We are so lucky not to have to worry about where we will sleep at night, how we will get the food we need, where our families are.
I also like Coco's observation that each homeless person has something special to offer. We cannot group them into one category because they are each truly individual. Like in Nora's story (which was so moving even to just read it, I wish I was there to see it happen), that man offered his spirit and optimism in the form of music and song to anyone who was willing to listen and even to those who probably would have rather he left them alone. He did not mind that so many people pretended he didn't exist; he only cherished the attention and love he received from the group of kids.
I completely agree with Lauren as well. It is so hard for me to really understand the impact of something just by looking at numbers, even if they are in the millions. It just doesn't resonate with me. Being able to single out each person, see their faces/expressions, and read their stories really helps me to realize that they are people too, with families and hearts.
It was a very eye-opening experience to walk through the gallery and read the descriptions and see their stories come to life. Tom Stone truly captured American poverty in a realistic light. To be honest, before seeing the photos, my assumption about America's homeless was that they just did not want to start over again and that they gave up trying. But looking at the pictures really made me see that they went through so much horror and tragedy that their lives were unalterable. The one, or two, photos that really touched me were the ones showing Wayland, the man with the teddy bear. In the first picture he looked like a helpless child waiting for someone to come for him. And in the second, he is in drag, with a wig and makeup and everything. It was terrible. It made me wonder what made his life make such a sad turn.
One of the shocking things was that many of the people in the photos were fairly young, but they aged so much from living on the street.
I agree with Coco and Charlie's comments that Tom Stone accurately summed up the situation, not just with people that are homeless but with all americans. The people depicted in the gallery, at first, I felt no connection with. When I saw someone on the streets, my initial feeling would be fear. But they are utterly helpless because they have no connection to anyone or anywhere. Like Coco mentioned, they are searching for acceptance, and often the only person or being that seems to accept is God. I used to think that all those homeless men on the streets, preaching and praying, were insane. But they do that because there is no one else to turn to.
I saw the exhibit in Fel-Ho several times which was good for me because there was a lot of material to process. I don't think I could have done it in one viewing. (Maybe if I had a couple of hours...) I thought it was great how Stone included a little comment with each photo. One might argue that the photo should speak for itself and no comment should need to exist, but I thought that the little blurbs that he posted were really insightful. They showed that he really got to know the people he took pictures of and had a relationship with each of them. I'm a little bummed that I never got a chance to speak to him. Also, as a side note, I thought the little exercise that we did with turning our favorite lines into a poem of sorts was really cool.
I agree with Charlie in that the viewing environment, filled with people enjoying themselves, eating, and laughing, helped to make each photograph more meaningful. You'd look up and look around after reading a sad story about a woman with a bullet lodged into her hip, and see people in a completely different situation, giving us a huge contrast. It made me realize that although lots of people have hardships, most of us have a huge advantage because of our available resources and the support we get from our friends and family. We read these stories and learn that lots of homeless people don't have friends and family who are with them or who are alive, nor do they have access to resources like we do. Similarly to Caroline, I would've just assumed that homeless people did something wrong to cause their lives to be the way they were. But the people captured in the photos are all innocent. It all seems like bad luck, and the most amazing part is how optimistic they all remained.
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