i love her

A Better Halloween

Posted by: "damali ayo" damali@damaliayo.com

Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:41 pm (PST)

Hello and Welcome Autumn! (in some parts of the world that is...).

A few months ago I promised some exciting changes in the way I make
art. This was inspired by a personal restlessness and your feedback.
Many of you expressed frustration that you could not see my work, as
it was housed in a gallery in one city far from you. I agreed. So
this Summer I dropped my art gallery and have devoted myself to
creating art that provides more accessibility, impact, and ways for
you to participate/

see the work. Expect a series of participatory
art/performance projects from me to you. I call this genre of work
"now art" because the works are immediate, accessible, participatory,
low-cost, and deal with current issues that we face as a
community/society. When you participate you are creating a moment-
something that happens in the "now" and hopefully generates a cascade
of thought and change for the future.

The works are things you can do in your life, your community, your
school, your neighborhood. I will send you concepts, instructions and
sometimes even a full kit to enact each work. Of course I will also
be participating in the piece. Each piece will be synchronized around
a specific time, day, or over a series of events. One caveat- this
shift in my approach means your collaboration is what makes it work.
I've been approached by many people to collaborate, yet nothing ever
felt quite right. This does. Let's make art together, I think we're
really going to have some fun.

Halloween gives an opportunity for our first Collaborative "Now Art" Event:
Remember it only works if you work it.

We know that Halloween has always been a great opportunity for
creative art projects, but it is also a wonderful opportunity for
creative activism. When else do you have a captive audience of
neighbors or children? Since combining art and activism is what I do
best, here are some fun ideas to help you have a more educational,
dialogue-generating Halloween.

Project One: Sweet Reality
I can't be the only one who is disturbed by children appearing at my
door demanding free candy. Here's a little project for those of you
who want to offer the kids something other than teeth-rotting fun. It
has the added bonus of inserting black history learning in October,
way before black history month. How confusing!

Attach a black-history flash card to a piece or bag of candy for the
kiddies. Or if you're really feeling hard-core, don't attach any
candy at all. Simply offer this brain-candy for the kids. If you use
a variety of cards, the kids will be able to compare and trade and
learn from each other. You can download 12 free cards I made for
this project on my web site at: http://damaliayo.com/pages/nowart.htm
available in a .pdf format booklet.

The cards include some of my favorite people from history and people
that I'm surprised that even adults don't know: Garrett A. Morgan,
Matthew Henson, Shirley Chisolm, James Beckwourth, Dick Gregory,
Angela Davis, Vivien Thomas, Major Taylor, Anna Deveare Smith, Mae
Jemison, the Sea Island Settlers, Sha Rock, Euphemia Lofton Haynes,.
There's also a template at the end of the collection for kids to make
their own.

note: this photo is a mini-version of the real thing, thus it may be
hard to read.
go to the website and print out the full-size version for the full experience.

Project Two: Living History
Turn the flash cards into costumes!!
Utah Phillips comments that when you ask a child who are their
heroes, they'll likely name a make-believe person. so instead of kids
being super-heroes, let's see if we can encourage some of our kids to
be real-heroes for this Halloween. Note: don't think these concepts
are too heavy for kids. Part of the concept of these costume ideas is
that the world we live in is not creating a safe place for our kids.
These contemporary costumes draw crystal clear attention to that. And
if you're chaperoning, don't forget that you can dress up too!

"So, little one, what are you going to be this year for Halloween?"
"I'm so glad you asked. This year I'm going to be....

Angela Davis (what girl would not want to don that cool afro?)
Garrett A. Morgan (complete with working traffic light)
Matthew Henson (the parka is a big hit in colder climates)
etc.
other fun (and random) picks:
Barak Obama
Kofi Annin
Cindy Sheehan
Al Gore (complete with chart on global warming)
Bob Woodward (for the budding journalists)

OR for a focus on education or politics consider a costume as:

a failing school
a child who has been kicked out of school
the "child left behind"
the shrinking education budget
a closed school
A soldier protesting the Iraq war
A soldier missing a limb from fighting in Iraq
Your state representative [fill in name] who supports raising the
education budget and lowering military spending

Finally, take a photo of your child in costume (of course!) and send
it to the president, your local representative, or make it your
winter holiday card. And send me one too!

You can also purchase a range of different black history cards on
line or at your local bookstore.
Here's a few you can check-out for Halloween or any day of the year.
(note they aren't all photo-info on one card, so investigate before
you buy.)

These are by far the best, most efficient and most affordable:
Knowledge Cards by Pomegranate Press
African American Women Knowledge Cards
African American History Knowledge Cards
The Civil Rights Movement Knowledge Cards
Great African Americans Knowledge Cards
African American Wisdom Knowledge Cards
African American Art Knowledge Cards
http://pomegranate.stores.yahoo.net/knowledgecards2.html

Also recommended:
Brain Quest Black History
http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/workman_publishing/brain_quest_black_history.cfm
From Selma to the State Department, Sojourner Truth to Kofi Annan and
a language called Xhosa - how well do you know black history? What
singer was known as "the Empress of the Blues?" Why the Missouri
Compromise? Challenge yourself, challenge your friends, challenge
your parents. Black History Brain Quest celebrates 5,000 years of
heroism, culture, struggle and achievement. 850 questions/answers
challenging your knowledge of African-American Heritage. Ages 9 & up.

Have a unique and artful Halloween!!!

Update:
No bites from the Colbert report, but THANK YOU to all of you who
wrote in. I guess he just wants to do my schtick on his own.

Preview of upcoming now art:
The National Day of Panhandling for Reparations is shaping up through
new "reparations wear" (http://www.cafepress.com/r_a_n/1937683) , as
well as mini-panhandling workshops with students at the colleges I
visit around the country. Keep an eye on these emails for details and
announcements.

damali