Graf-Art brings Smiles and Grief for Harlem

Art Form: Graffiti/Photography
Genre/Type: The only type Graffiti-Art could be: Conscious

I actually stumbled upon this photo on a BET blog site, which seems weird to me because BET has never shown that they'd make an effort to display true art apropos of its history. Nevertheless, this picture is a great shot of 116th and Lenox in Harlem, NY. I like it because it culminates different attributes of the culture of Harlem. Now, it doesn't feature everything about the customs of Harlem because it doesn't have any depictions that allude to jazz , zoot suits, or speakeasies which is more of the 'ancient' stuff, dating back to the early 20th century. However, it does depict the volume of the contemporary culture in Harlem with the infamous Apollo sign hovering over the sneakers that are suspended from the traffic light wiring. I researched what that custom is about and I learned that shoes hanging from wires is a an urban semiotic that alerts passer-bys that drug trafficking is prevalent in the area. Even though we'd all agree that's not a good thing, the depiction in the photo informs us; just like a photo and a caption in a World History textbook would (and they said there's nothing educational about 'da hood'). I know that for Black people, and more specifically for the Black people native to Harlem, graffiti-art, like the one shown above, tells it's own story about the history and culture of the area. My favorite part about this picture is the family. I like the male in front seen leading his family with the afro and his face littered in different color variations and hues. And then, sidled next to him is who I would presume to be his wife, with her natural hair, and child. Beautiful.

It's pretty rare to see Graffiti-art anymore. That's due to the intensified police activity in the areas where people are most likely to tag up walls, which is 'da hood'. You'll mostly see a lot of graffiti-art in the depths of train station tunnels. But the trains go by so fast, you can barely get a look at it. Though, it is nice to see something like this photo attempting to revive a sub-culture of the original Hip Hop and resuscitating a discourse that used be about informing other people. Graffiti-Art is still done all over the world, and I'd imagine anyone who was leading a life that was similar to the lives the original graffiti-artists were leading in 1970's Bronx, then they'd be tagging up anything they could fine just to get their stories out. I really hate when the arbiters of local governments say that graffiti-art is merely illegally applying a medium to a surface. They would be the ones to spin the language and it make sound ominous. And I find it funny that we live in a country where freedom of speech is valued, but rarely is it tolerated. On one of my older blogs, I ended with, "Get your ideas out, By Any Means Necessary". That's exactly what these, artists, are doing.

Lastly, and here's where the grief comes in, the picture does make me think about what is now happening in and to Harlem. As it is now become more and more evident, Harlem will undergo an imminent and immense overhaul. Local officials have decided that the area is ripe for revenue and the buyouts have already begun. Potential franchise owners are seeking to transform what is now a cultural haven for Harlem natives, into another New York epicenter for shopping and consumption. And just when you thought capitalism couldn't get any worse. Gentrification is definitely going to be a product of the new city plans as Harlem residents will be compelled, or coerced I should say, to emigrate from their homes because the value of these neighborhoods will rise above their living means. It's very sad. And I've had a few conversations about what's going on in Harlem and about the gentrification that is and will continue to take place. And there are two good arguments here.

One, gentrification is horrible. Knowing the essence of what is, it seems completely unscrupulous to actually do this to people just for profit. It isn't fair to the residents who will be living in the area. The situation is almost comparable to the, "refugees" (as they called them) indigenous to New Orleans who were just shipped to another part of the country against their will after the calamity of Hurricane Katrina. Granted this isn't the same situation in Harlem, but isn't this the same level of covert collusion that will afford Harlem natives and residents to leave against their will because they won't be able to afford to stay? Sure it is. What happened to the right to vote? Shouldn't the people of Harlem be able to have a say in what happens to their neighborhoods? Well, exercising that right would be to no avail here because the corporate barons who are coming in have the money to commence a new economic cycle in Harlem and that fact is what appeases local government officials. So even despite the potential pleas and bargaining by Harlem residents, their actions would be futile.

On the other hand, there are those who say the new city plans (such as Columbia University expanding its property radius) and gentrification occurring in Harlem is actually a good thing, and I totally understand this position. For those who don't know, the city of New York is incurring a mild recession and the city seems desperate to rejuvenate the local economy. The new plans for Harlem is a very viable option that would allow for a jump start. And if the residents of New York City don't want to see state taxes rise in an effort to counter the recession, they should be in favor of the changes that are set to be made in Harlem. Another part of this position is that the city is making a valiant effort to change the culture in that part of the city. Harlem is notorious for its underclass and a physical change to Harlem would mean that that underclass would have to have a change in venue. In one swoop, the city could significantly decrease the amount of crime, violence, and narcotics that supports the informal economy in Harlem. Unfortunately, a whole lot of honest, hardworking Black people are going to have to move because of the actions of a whole lot of other Black People. It's extremely unfortunate, but it's a win-win situation for the government.

Parting Thoughts:
It was brought to my attention that I didn't pay homage to the great, late, Malcolm X as his birthday recently past on May 19th. Well, Happy Birthday brotha Malcolm and I hope you are resting well. Those of us who have been fortunate to study him, know that he was a great father, husband, philosopher, teacher and human being. Aside from the fact that he fought for human rights, what I found riveting about Malcolm was that he went through three significant reformations in his life, embraced them all with diligence by trying to be the best at what he was (at that specific time) and achieve his objectives. I think Malcolm is a great example of the idea that it's never too late to make a change in your life. However untimely, Malcolm did come to realize that his ultimate goal was not to solely raise the consciousness of the masses of Black people so that they could rise above their white counter-parts, but it was to actively pursue bringing every race, color or creed that had a diaspora into Umoja, which is Swahili for Unity. Malcolm X had a significant influence on my way of thinking, not just discerning the lives, strife, and trials that face the masses of black people, but learning how to think period. Above many things, Malcolm was a student and loved to learn. His favorite pastime was reading and one thing he wished he could've pursued more diligently was studying language. I admire a lot of things about Malcolm: his poise, candor, discourse, commitment, disposition, compassion, congeniality, and sage-like aura. Even though I never met him, just seeing videos/film and photographs of him makes me feel his presence. I would encourage all to learn about the great Malcolm X because he is not only important to the history of people in the African diaspora, but he is one of the most important figures for humankind. Peace be unto you, Brotha Shabazz.



Oh yeah,
The city of New York also has the same plans for Coney Island. So, for all you potential tourists out there who want to see the infamous and broken down Cyclone, Keyspan Park, pier, location for Spike Lee's He Got Game and where the annual Nathans hot dog competition is held, make haste!

Oh yeah (part 2),
Ted Kennedy had his brain tumor successfully removed today at Duke University by one of, if not the best, neuro-surgeon in America. God bless him.