Unit 1 | Mysite

What is Art and Painting’s role in Communal Acts of Altruism and Charity?

I’m fascinated by people, their stories, what they do in their day-to-day lives, and how they inhabit all sorts of environments. I admire people who make the best of tough situations, who think outside of themselves, in order to build a better society. My aim is to get across these values to others through a story, showing that the more we do and learn from each other the more enriching and unexpected life will be.

A quote from GK Chesterton helps convey the position from which I'm viewing these stories:

"At the back of our brains, so to speak, there was a forgotten blaze or burst of astonishment at our own existence. The object of the artistic and spiritual life was to dig for this submerged sunrise of wonder.”

Having used the 1st lockdown as an opportunity to really get stuck into my painting and Youtube, I learnt the value of channelling one’s disappointment and angst into a passion/hobby. It also made wonder how lockdown can be used to spark positive change rather than feed negativity and anxiety. So I was eager to find others who’d done the same, and remind myself of the need to continue finding new ways of doing this.

The 1st story I came across, was of a boy who walked from Sicily to London to give his grandmother a hug, as well as raise awareness about the plight of refugees. Romeo decided to use the opportunity of his journey to raise funds for his mother's project, REACT, an organization located in Palermo's Ballarò, that is helping migrants manage their lives, their families, and their financial situation. When Romeo and his family moved to Palermo a few years ago, it was the migrant kids who welcomed this British boy who spoke no Italian. Romeo wanted to give back.

Having always loved and been inspired by the work of David Hockney, in painting and researching Romeo’s story I wanted to keep in mind something Willard Spiegelman said about Hockney’s work:

“Mr. Hockney fills his pictures with clarity imbued with charity that anyone can understand.”

Having looked through Romeo's Instagram which documented his journey, I was immediately struck by the image that I ended up painting(top right of page). I felt it conveyed everything that was so incredible and inspiring about Romeo's story. I see it as the blueprint/starting point for the direction I wanted my painting and research to go and what I wanted the work to evoke, hope. Recently I came across Micheal Landy’s Acts of Kindness, an underground project encouraging passengers to email/message in stories of simple kindness and humanity shown to one another whilst on the tube. A particular story helps expand this idea of hope I seek to convey:

“One rainy evening, I stood in a crowded train, crying after someone I thought would be my first and only love. I didn't care that everyone could see me, it never occurred to me really. A Few stops later, a guy got off the train but handed me a piece of paper before he did so. Inside, was a drawing of a duck saying 'smile'. On the platform, he bent down to tie his shoelaces and looked up at me. I never stopped crying but smiled for him. The drawing is still on my wall. He gave me something that the most dearest can't give sometimes. He gave me hope.”

After reading about the footballer who campaigned for the less fortunate, and the man who climbed the 3 peaks in a diving suit, I realised the importance of helping others, setting an example, and the extraordinary acts of kindness and endurance one can demonstrate and show.

From a painters perspective, there’s something beautiful about what Marcus Rashford and Lloyd Scott did, especially when watching the content that covers them. As philosopher John Dewey said in his book Art as Experience:

“Any practical activity will, provided that it moves by its own urge to fulfilment, have aesthetic quality.”

The footballer, Marcus Rashford(aged 22), campaigned for the government to allow about 1.3 million children to claim free school meal vouchers in England's summer holidays during the coronavirus pandemic. After lockdown was imposed in March, the government provided vouchers to families whose children qualify for free meals, but had insisted this would not continue into the summer holidays. This prompted Rashford to write an open letter to MPs, drawing on his own experiences of relying on free school meals and food banks while growing up in Manchester. He called on the government to reverse its decision - which it did shortly after he spoke out. That enabled about 1.3m children in England to claim vouchers over the holidays, with the support working out at about £15 a week for each child. Rashford continued his campaign by establishing a task-force with some of the UK's biggest food brands to try to help reduce child food poverty.

In painting the screenshot of Marcus and his Mum help out at one of the many task-force deliveries, I wanted to emulate something Matt Price said about Matthew Krishanu’s Mission Series(something which can be said for most of his figurative work):

"Often filled with people, there remains an understated sense of quietness and peacefulness throughout the series - a gentle feeling of community, of spirituality and of shared faith.”

That collaboration and drive towards a common goal and the way it can cut through the guard we all put up around one other is wonderful. It also unites us in such an intimate and rewarding way.

The Climber, Loyld Scott, is a veteran fundraiser who completed climbing the 3 Peaks in a diving suit weighing 130lb (59kg), he did this to raise money for the Lord's Taverners, the UK's leading youth cricket and disability sport charity. Creating opportunities for young people with a disability and those living in high poverty areas.

Around the time of discovering this story, I became drawn to the work of Benjamin Senior. His paintings made me realise the potential in conveying physical activities in my own imagined way, inspiring a sense of urgency and desire in the viewer to get outside and do something similar. By creating this effect, I would also open the door to telling the viewer a story and reflecting back on them the potential they have to help others:

“His paintings conjure up a world that is delightful, curious, quirky and distinctly his own. These physical activities - both leisure and sporting would undoubtedly leave some of their protagonists out of breath, as the title of the monograph suggests, and may well inspire some viewers to shake off any lethargy and get physical too."

The story of Lloyd Scott also sparks a comforting reminder of “(the) pious English habit of regarding the world as a moral gymnasium built expressly to strengthen your character." George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman(1903).

In looking for more stories like this, I came across a BBC article about Jas Sandhu and her company(Pedalling Pantry), and was really drawn to the story, for the way they value the importance of community, and the general values they live by.

After finding images of her at work(through a BBC short documentary), I decided that in order to have a better understanding of the person, the company, and the images I was drawing inspiration from, I thought it would be great to interview Jas.

Pedalling Pantry are Birmingham’s 1st zero waste shop delivered by zero-emission. They deliver fresh fruit/veg boxes, pantry and household essentials by bicycle. Local food banks are supported by their donations of any excess fresh produce and collected items from customers, and any food waste is composted at a local community garden. The fundamental mantra of the company is that less is really more.

It was fascinating interviewing Jas, she spoke of the importance of forming lifelong relationships with the customers, being part of their journey, and making sure that the work comes from the heart.

What’s also so admirable, is the company’s origins, it wasn't until buying groceries for her family over lockdown, that the response came;

“there was all the queueing which was sapping precious time, and then there was the produce being wrapped in plastic, which as a consumer, I’ve always found frustrating, and I suppose I realised that if I’m feeling this way, then there must be plenty of others feeling the same. Obviously there are already fruit and veg box providers around, but many of them seem to be out of peoples budget, and I figured I could go to the wholesalers myself, because we already had the trade documents from when we registered as caterers. I also realised that I was going to have to buy things by the box, which was going to be too much for the family, so I asked some neighbours if they’d be interested and that's how we started. The intention to start a business wasn't really there initially, it was more to feed my family with fresh wholesome food, and more importantly trying to save time, It was just about being resourceful.”

This reminded me of something Adam Krause said about the needs(he believes) Art currently serve; That being “the free market, not the needs of human beings/ Art’s worth ‘as Art’ cannot be fully expressed nor can humanity’s cultural needs be met, when capitalist demands drive the production of art.”

In a similar way whilst food and drink seems to serve the needs of the free market, more so than the needs of human beings, by seeking to make her service more personable and of the highest and healthiest quality, Jas is a great example of someone seeking to meet the needs of humanity rather than the demands of capitalism in her business.

This is what I love about her story, instead of sitting with her frustrations about time wasting queues at supermarkets, she realises that other people may be feeling the same way and sees how she can solve that problem for herself and others.

For Jas, her belief that less is more, came from travelling, seeing people in other/poorer countries, with a lot less, yet always having a big smile on their face. Seeing that positivity makes that a possibility for everyone else.

This is something that’s so easy to forget but so important to remember in this current situation of lockdown. Whilst life feels so unnatural and we all crave normality there is still immense possibility for positivity and valuable action that can come from that.

I believe painting can play a big part in this, by telling these stories, viewers become aware of the potential in themselves and everyone, it’s something that painter Jaime Gill seeks to achieve in his work;

"For me it's all linked to a positive and optimistic kind of thinking. It's not the idea that you sit in your studio and don't look at the world, but that you offer a happier alternative to what is going on."

Whilst seeking to find more inspiring stories of people making the best of lockdown and 2020, I became increasingly aware of the importance of being part of a community.

This has led me to wonder what role art/painting can play in helping people to engage more with their communities and reap the benefits of doing this. Adam Micheal Krause believes that “Art needs to operate on a human scale, under the control of the people who make, distribute, and appreciate it, so that it can play a role in the collective life of healthy, functioning communities.”

I stumbled across a TEDTalk Given by two Dutch artists in 2014, who in many respects embody this belief, as they speak about their experiences in Rio.

Artists Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn create community art by painting entire neighbourhoods, and involving those who live there, from the favelas of Rio to the streets of North Philadelphia. In this funny and inspiring talk, the artists explain their art-first approach and the importance of a neighbourhood barbecue.

Initially, they had planned to make a film about life in the favelas, but after days of experiencing the poverty and constant danger of being caught between the gang wars, one evening they gazed at a hill in villa cruzeiro with all the squat buildings piled on top of each other, and both imagined how amazing it would be to see these facades in all sorts of beautiful colours. So they embarked on a project that one day will lead to this dream becoming a reality, and hopefully bring joy to the community.

As Dre Urhahn says, “who would expect something like that in a place like this?”, it is an aim to provide hope and togetherness for a torn area/community.

From the get go they wanted this project to be driven by the locals. Through crowdfunding and organised barbecues, many volunteered, some of whom might have ended in up in jail or being shot had they not joined. The owners could pick the colours for their own property. Neighbours would cook lunch for the whole crew every day.

It reminded me of the way street artists Sainer and Etam describe their collaborative process and the benefits of it; "Graffiti has this positive view towards collaborating. When you collaborate, you have to think of the other person and agree on things, sometimes you have to give up your own ideas, and that can lead toward learning something new.”

Defective walls were repaired and messy electricity lines were cleaned up. Crew Members spoke of how “the quality of life is improved by the lively colours,” that their work “sends a message that this Community is not all about drugs, gangs and weapons, it also has culture.” “There’s no explanation for art, it does something with you.”

These stories and images remind me of the fundamental importance of engaging with one another, and how art projects such as this, allows us to be part of a greater purpose than our own. Having that feeling of community, is what helps us carry on, in the midst of so much uncertainty and isolated living.

So by engaging in something creative with others, our thinking becomes more optimistic and positive, especially in regards to our outlook on the world around us. Even in experiencing this kind of work, one can feel uplifted.

This can also be seen in the work of Jaime Gil, and his project in Venezuela, DIAMANTE DE LAS SEMILLITAS, and his triangular sheets of painted stainless steel, dotted around the centre of Caracas;

“together it can all be seen as a painting. The piece wants to join all these areas visually, uniting them to create pride in those who live nearby, and hopefully admiration in those who visit" Jamie Gil

This idea of the piece joining all areas visually fascinated me, especially in regards to the figure’s relationship to those shapes of colour. It also reminded me of something Sacha Craddock said about Benjamin Senior’s work:

"This interplay between the natural and synthetic is played out in surprising juxtapositions, between the materials and designs of sports clothing in contrast to the rolling hills of a spring landscape, or to autumnal trees at sunset."

Furthermore, in an interview with Bradford born painter Matthew Krishanu, the artist outlines that a lot of his painting is about “world building, a world that feels somewhat timeless and indestructible.” Whilst I endeavour to create this effect in my painting, the physical presence of both favela painting and Diamente De Las Semillitas are in their own right timeless and indestructible, they endure for a long time and are experienced by people every day.

It goes without saying that this project(Favela Painting), is one that can turn on a sixpence, in an environment that struggles between order and chaos. Which is what makes the dedication of the locals, so moving and capturing. You can see the concentration on the their faces and the care with which they work, allowing nothing to distract them.

This I believe, is the huge reward of engaging in menial tasks, particularly when they involve working with others, and working on something that will benefit us all:

“In a communal effort, together with the people, you can almost work like an orchestra, where you can have a hundred instruments playing together to create a symphony." Jeroen Koolhaas

For me(and I’m sure for most people) working like this cures anxiety, washes away depression, and helps us live in the now, and experience the joy of the world around us.

This I believe is the role art can play in acts of altruism and charity, you can bring people together to work on something side by side(bigger than their own ambitions), and create something that they’re truly proud of and has a positive effect on them and others, day after day.

In painting these scenes, I believe I can shine a light on these stories, remind others of the potential we all have to do good, and also outline the inequalities in society. Most of the projects and stories I’ve come across are all crowd-funded and self motivated, rather than being endorsed by governments. By outlining this I hope to create more conversations surrounding inequality in wealth and class, and see how we can persuade those in power, to play a bigger role in funding these projects and bringing people together rather than causing more division.

References:

G. K Chesterton

n.d.

The Everyman Chesterton

Give The Gifts of Sicily!

Mailchi.mp

https://mailchi.mp/544e62cd2787/gifts-of-sicily

November 2020

Karen La Rosa

Acts of Kindness

Michael Landy

A project celebrating everyday compassion on the Tube