Book Cover Abolitionists

In the third unit of my summer class, "P'art of History," we talked about revolution in Chicago. The third unit that we have been working on is called, "Revolt." In this unit, we learned about how the people of Chicago have revolted in the past. This whole project was actually quite fun, I found minimal amount of difficulty. I decided to focus my project on discrimination as a whole. I chose the main subjects that come to mind when I think of discrimination and inequality.

"Book Cover Abolitionist Visual" (By DR) Jul 28, 2014. 

By DR
Title: Book Covers Abolitionist
Medium: Linocut/ Plaster
Size: 6x6 inches
Date: July, 2014


Discrimination is huge EVERYWHERE. Only thing I could think of in a broad point-of-view.
The oppressed people that I will be discussing are the gays, women, African Americans. The oppressors I will be talking about; Catholics, men/media/government, the people. The oppressed that I will be talking about were stripped of their rights to be expressive, to be discriminated against because they are black, and to be equal.

My poem is read below:

This is the year that wages & salaries are paid by ability and not by gender,
where WNBA players get paid even a third of what NBA players make,
where a salary of 72 thousand is not equal to a salary of 5.15 million,
where playing in the NBA is only a side job,
where one player from the WNBA gets paid more than 100 players from the NBA

This is the year,
a time where the woman comes home from work to a clean house and nice dinner ready to be served,
where the woman is recognized as someone with a goal instead of someone on a pole,
a time where people will see a feminine figure screaming “Yes We Can” at the inauguration.

This is the year that we see gays and Catholics together in harmony because they have simply realized that we are all human,
a time where people aren’t breaking the law just because they fell in love.

This is the year when activist, Bobby Seale of the Chicago 8 who was discriminated against his race, locks up Judge Hoffman (discriminator) for knowing his own rights.

This is the year that black men and women will work hard and not be held back because they can’t afford to go to college,
where the emancipation proclamation is actually realized,
where discrimination is abolished along with slavery.

This is the year that people look past clothing, beauty and style to see education, potential, and uniqueness.

If the Emancipation Proclamation began
with the vision of equal rights amongst blacks and whites
then this is the year;
If the legalization of the civil unions began
with the vision of people in love coming together
then this is the year;
If Women’s Lib began with the vision
that the glass ceiling would be shattered
then this is the year.

So may every person that is discriminated against
be able to live on
and be free.

This is the year that discrimination is abolished.
______________________________________________________________________

My image represents the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Instead of saying the term, I instead, open the book and say, “you have to open it first.” My poem is based on discrimination so I thought about how people assume women aren't strong enough, or black people aren't smart, or people who don’t have the new Jordans aren't cool. So basically the message that my visual tries to get across is to stop assuming things about people who are “different,” because at the end of the day we are all human. A propaganda poster is a visual that is fighting for something that someone believes in. Some elements of propaganda posters are a clear message, symbol of power, and simple. I used elements of Propaganda Posters by incorporating a clear message in my art piece.

I created this art piece by, sketching my image, then flipping my Image onto Soft Cut Linoleum, then transferring the drawing onto the lino by rubbing, then start carving the lino, then build the clay walls around the carving, then pour plaster onto carving, then paint carvings, lastly I installed the visuals.