Day 4 - New York

This morning headed over to Jackson Square Park for a discussion lead by seven RECALLed artists. The open talks seemed to sway more toward surveillance and the monitoring of public space.

After a curator tour was led by Kendal Henry and Sara Reisman. My wall was the first stop as we had to push it down to Jackson Square for the talk. 

Oh just checked the news and then just in:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/2-reports-say-officers-shooting-of-tamir-rice-was-justified/

Met up with Karim and Azeez again who had stopped by Union Square yesterday and were very engaged in the festival.

It is hard to believe how quickly the time has passed here in NYC. There are so many people to thank for their contributions to making FADED GLORY a reality. Over the next weeks I will compile an overview of this project.

Please visit this blog from time to time to see how FADED GLORY will progress in the future.

                                  More photos to follow in the coming weeks.

 

Day 3 - New York

Just a beautiful morning on 14th Street.

My new assistant, Jenny Lando, arrived and our journey began.

Right on 6th we encountered a lovely lady that had seen the wall on Friday...but the other side. She, like so many, feels sorrow for all the shootings. I did notice that she wore a number of buttons addressing social concern and groups. "God will remember you."

Photo Jenny Lando

 

As we traveled down 14th we had many encounters as Jenny handed her camera to a complete stranger to take our photo crossing 5th Avenue.

 

We continued down 14th and met an elderly lady that was drawn to the piece because of the flowers as her sister had died on Friday.

I later encountered a very sad lady with a bunch of fresh flowers that was honoring the 8th anniversary of her Mother's passing. Her Mother's name was Fakhrie.

The day passed really fast. Jenny has a friend, Donna Dees Thomases, that lives on 14th and took a wonderful shot from her apartment of the wall. Jenny grew up in the East Village and had stories and histories to share.

We then headed back to Union Square and again stopped on the eastside near the police precinct as people were very interested about Faded Glory. There seem to be many artists out that were drawn to this piece and many doing similar work and documentation.

Photo Jenny Lando

 

We entered the park and positioned the wall in front of the Abe Lincoln statue and that seemed to be a good location as well with many visitors addressing the wall.

 

Photo Jenny Lando

 

We continued to the front of the park where several projects were happening. A really great energy. A photographer came by, Eddie Pagan. He has been photographing NYC for the past three decades focusing on social and racial issues. He really loved FADED GLORY.

There seemed to be a good bit of conversation about government's lack of transparency, honest, and truth. Too many cover ups.

 

Two guys, Jesus and Manny, stopped by as they are a team in a mentoring program and talked a good deal about how important it is to mentor and support each other and were very interested in the wall.

Jesus and Manny

There is so much information that I have collected over these days. So many notes and photos.

Some really fun ladies on 14th.

 

 

Day 2 - New York

Headed out this morning east on 14th.

We made it to Union Square where we encountered  100 police having a rally. Ironically the "To Serve and Protect" side was facing them. One guy said, "That is right on cue."

We continued around to the eastside of the park and stopped near the Union Square subway entrance.
Police cars continued to park nearby while a host of people came by and voiced their opinions about the current tone of overstep in the USA.

 

A wonderful lady, Doris, came by and continued to shake her head as she said, "So sad".  She spoke to me for some time about that element in NYC. She also mentioned that this subway entrance housed a police station and holding area. Handcuffed men continued to be taken into the subway.

 

Lewis, an artist, talked about his life during the Vietnam draft and how the country was "snowed" and bought into this war. He was not.

A most wonderful lady stopped and talked at length about her person situation and the constant looking over her shoulder and the worry for the children. She was a caregiver and is also greatly concerned about the treatment of the elderly. Also brought up in her conversation was the upcoming election and the circus atmosphere and how we have been dumbed down.

 

We then moved through the park and stopped in a shady out of the way area. By stopping we found people approached more easily and the conversations were more deeply involved.

 

Daniel came by. He had lived in rural Virginia for sometime working on a farm before returning to NYC to go back to school. He spoke of the temptation of all the money and bribes given to some police spurned from their low pay scale and the need for pay to reflect the danger of the job. We also brought up teacher pay.

A very excited Miriam

 

We then moved the wall to the front of the park facing 14th. This drew a lot of attention and one such group was the "DP Scholars". They were a group of 5 interviewing people for a school project. Got to spend some time with them and answer they survey.

The DP Scholars: Keiasia Holeman, Rolando Aquino, Justin Sheppard, Emani Sanders, and Edelsa Majia.

Note: when pushing a wall through Manhattan, a great assistant is a good thing.

 

 

A visitor from Illinois, Ashley, came by to talk about her experience and life. She had moved back to help with her family having gone to school in NYC.

As the rain moved in and cut the day by an hour, we made it back to 6th.

Saturday we will be rolling out of 6th and 14th again heading east all the way to Con Edison and then loop back. Hope to see you there.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Day 1 - New York

What a day.

Much was learned today in regards to both public opinion about this piece and the logistics of pushing it around 14th Street.

A special shout out to Hjordis Linn-Blanford. She brought great street wise advice, passion, and muscle to help make this happen on Day 1.

The day started with Faded Glory heading West on 14th. We were met with great public opinion and emotion. It seemed many initially wanted to know what this was about and happy to find out.

Though most of the public opinion was positive there were several people that felt differently. At Hudson and 14th two guys became very heated after reading the postcard about Faded Glory. They went on and on about how this was stupid and did not represent what was right and became very hostile when I would not engage in their rants. After about 10 minutes I asked them to take a card and there was a blogsite listed on the back where they could voice their opinions....and they wanted nothing to do with this "stupid thing" and that they were sure I was voting for Bernie Sanders. He wanted to know why the police side of the piece did not have flowers.  I expected to encounter an opposing view....which I welcome....but they were so angry and in their own heads, there was no need to try to reason with them as they continued to pace back and forth.

 

It was amazing at how many young people were drawn to this wall. Some had amazing stories regarding their personal experiences and many of these conversations went on and on.

 

The children in this photo were all very energized. The small boy in yellow was less concerned about the image and more concerned about the construction. "How much does it weigh?, What is it made out of?" and so on.

 

It was really fulfilling to give the public an image from which they could draw these emotions out.

Some of the opinions today:

"You know the good guys finish last." Ben

"To secure and protect seems to have gone missing. It seems the "suits" are very visible during the day and at night no where to be found. In all there is enough for everybody but we are all distracted."
Kevin

Kevin also wanted to talk further about surveillance and voting. He brought up a good point that is no one voted next year....what would happen.

"Thank you so much Terry." Unknown

"Pre-Giuliani 14th Street was great. The officers were all from this area and knew everyone. Then Giuliani shipped in police from Long Island and everything went crazy." Joshua Susie

"I am looking for a creative way to grieve and this piece has me thinking," Akim Funk discussing the loss of his Father.

"I live in the Bronx. If you get shot you lay there while the black guys step over you." Unknown

"White Supremacist Bastard." Spoken by three girls encountering the "To serve and protect" side of the wall. After seeing the other side they admitted being very wrong about this.

"I knew exactly what this was about when I saw it." Nicki

"I was watching two white guys fighting and ended up with a gun pulled on my and a knee to my throat when I was 15 in Long Island. She continued to talk about her mixed race family and how one side identifies as white and the other side as black. Ayanna

 

This is but a sampling of the day's conversations. The wall ended the day in Union Square. A place that has long been the site of change.

Faded Glory will hit the streets again Friday at noon from 6th Street heading East.