insight magazine | issue #22

8/3/2019 INSIGHT Magazine | Issue #22

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VOLUME III | ISSU

WWW.ONEFOKUS.ORG/INS


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Founded in the summer of 2003

by Alma Davila-Toro and Atiba T. Edwards,

F.O.K.U.S. support artists and audiences through events such

as workshops, concerts, art shows and our magazine, INSIGHT.

F.O.K.U.S. creates a continuously growing community where the arts strive

as we believe the arts enable people to rise above barriers in society.

F.O.K.U.S. expands the view on what is considered an art and

raises awareness to the benefits and need of creativity.


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PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / ATIBA T. EDWARDSAtiba is a perpetual visionary that likes to do art in the dark since it is easier to see the true light.

EDITOR/ALLISON MARITZA LASKYAllison is an Assistant Director of a preschool in downtown Brooklyn and she is pursuing a Masters degree in PublicHealth. Children are the worlds greatest artists, our primary colorsour foundation to creativity and imagination

LAYOUT & DESIGN / JEFF ALBERTJeff is a creative type whose favorite questions are Why? andWhat if...? In that order.

CONTRIBUTORS / RYAN CHAPPELL / ATIBA T. EDWARDS / ANDREW FOLSTER /ADENIKE HUGGINS / MALIK JONES-ROBINSON / JAMIE KILLEN /CEASIA KING / RICK MIDLER / ARIANA PROEHL / JOHN TEBEAU / LEVESTER WILLIAMS

www.oneokus.org/insight

Questions and comments can be directed to [email protected] inquiries can be sent to [email protected]

All advertising inquiries can be directed to [email protected]

INSIGHT is published by F.O.K.U.S. Inc.All rights reserved on entire contents. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Opinionsexpressed in articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reect those of F.O.K.U.S. or INSIGHT.

CONENSVolume III | Issue 2

02Letter From the editor03Street StyLe04emotionaL maSh06VanityS CompromiSe08riCk VS. c20ego tripS (we know exaCtLy why)22ChaLLengeS24rorSChaChS oF miCkey FaCtz32tiCk toCk33tomorrow34panoramiCS and peopLe38bkS Son40inFinite pLayLiSt42CoVer art: the game Street StyLe art artiCLeS / Q&a photograpy poetry F.o.k.U.S. CrU inFinite pLayLiSt


4/46Atiba T. Edwards

LEER FROM HE EDIORVolume III | Issue 2

2 | INSIGH

Weve made some changes. Before I start my pen pal letter, I want tothank Maya Pope-Chappell for her work as Editor-In-Chief over the past 5

issues. She helped INSIGHT continue its rise. Due to conicts of interestat her full-time gig she had to step away from the magazine. Thank you forthe priceless work youve done.

So I had to step outta the carriage and grab the reins again. Let me take amoment to reintroduce my team, a triangle offense that would make PhilJackson proud.

Jeff Albert is the designer extraordinaire that lays out the visual eye candyyou are about to devour. Allison Lasky helps with the editing of pieces

submitted by folks just like you. Yup, three people will now make eachissue come together. We do this in the midst of other jobs, love lives,extracurriculars and many other things. Add in INSIGHT and youve gotwhat makes for a dope life.

With that said, lets begin the INSIGHT re-up.

INSIGHT Volume III | Issue 2 features the eye-catching work of Emmy-award winning artist, Rick Midler (who also designed this issues cover).

Midler sits down with himself to give you an insight into his mind. Wealso feature very personal artwork from fellow University of MichiganWolverine, John Tebeau. Levester Williams provides two creations that willcause you to think about the life you live. Adenike Huggins worked withBronx MC Mickey Factz to have him do a freestyled response to artworkfrom Basquiat, Kahlo, Kandinsky, Shephard Faireyand several others. Factz stated his inkblot-esquefirst response to each piece. We also feature severalunique poems: Ceasia King and Ariana Proehl go

line-for-line; Andrew Folster introspects on life; RyanChappell emotes; and Andrew Jimenez talks aboutcompromise. Our F.O.K.U.S. Cru section continueswith Jamie Killens Brooklyn sun photos and MichaelMalik Jones-Robinsons pictures from his trip to Africa.


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SREE SyLE: Tis is m eel good, lie isgood, travel outt. Tis is m American dream look.

P

hotobyAtibaTEdwards

infrontofTheBrooklyn

Circusshop

OUIjI HEODORETe Brookln Circus


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jOHN EBEAU

1978 (Right, top)

1987 demonstrates the evolutionof what I call a collage mash-uppainting. I chose 1987, a childhoodyear I recall especially well, asmy subject. I made an extensivelist of things I really rememberedfrom that yearthings that madeit special. Things like Steve Martinall the way to Belushi, etc. I culled

images from the internet andmessed with them in Photoshop tilI decided upon a crude mock-upof the layout I would follow for thefinal painting 1978.

BLUE BIRD (Right, bottom)Blue Bird is about transforming

negative personal emotional into(hopefully) positive art. I was down,REALLY down, the day I drewthis one. I was hating being inthe city, around all the ugly urbaninfrastructure. I had planned tomake a really upbeat paintingthat day (a colorful peacock)for my bird-a-day series I was

doing in December of last year.Instead, I drew what I felt: aseriously bummed-out bluebirdof unhappiness, surrounded bytypical urban junk; in this case, acaricature of a power line andall its hideous accoutrements,including the old shoe in the wirechestnut. That bird should be outin the woods, not in the city. Thatshow I felt that day. But making the

drawingand really exaggeratingthe grimness of the situationhelped me work through the mood.I felt better after this. Not reallygreat, by any means, but better.

And wouldnt you know it?Someone bought it within a couplehours of my posting it on my Etsysite. She framed it, and now usesit as a benchmark for her dailymoods each morning. How doI feel compared to that seriouslydown bird? Usually the answer is:

not too bad!

S l: .u.cbu :jcu.s.cr l:ju.ss.c

EMOIONAL MASH


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BlueBird, 5" 7", i clc llus , 2009 Sl1978, 48" 36", aclc cvs, 2009 avll


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ANDREW jIMENEz

You feel like changeis in orderbut what?

Scan the pages of CraigsListfor a new apartment,join a dating site.Look up a new barin a nearby neighborhood.

You open the windowsfor the first timesince fall andnotice how similarlyit smells to spring.

The inbetween seasons.The open-window seasons.The wandering heart

searching for a reasonto curl like a cat

between the comfortingpattern of your lungs,fall asleep therepurring and contented,and never wake up.

But instead, your heartis a housecat at the window,pacing on the sill,

measuring life by patternsof shadows on the buildings.

Kids are playing stickballin the street, hide-and-seekand your stoop is homebase.

Ollie-ollie oxen, free!Cries your heart, butstill, the knock at your door

VANIyS COMpROMISE


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is only the ConEd manhere to read the meter.

You put your own hand to yourchestbecause your hearts meter cannot

be read with numbersthough youhave considered countingcigarettes,empty beer cans, the play count ofthe saddest songs in your iTuneslibrary.

Then you realize: this is the changethat will be leftover from your spent

life;these are the throwaway legaciesof your hardwork lounge of anexistence.

Your life amounts to memoriesthat will be replaced, cansthat will be recycled, andbrown-edged rolls of paper

with scraps of your DNAin ink and spit.

When future anthropologists studyus,all theyll have to dig throughis our browser histories.How, then, should they constructa life

made of Google searches forhuman connection and freeporn?

You believe people never talk aboutwhat they truly mean; they talkin concrete sidewalks,but never go into the buildings.They walk the cliches

of safe neighborhoods,hailing a cab with retread tires oftired excuses back homeafter the bars last-callthe final round of two-dollar

cans of laughter.You think that art was oncewhat people used to explicitly statetheir hearts desires in their mostbeautiful form. But why dress it upin a gown and take it to the promwhen you can Google the subtext?

If Da Vinci were alive today, whatwould his MySpace page look like?What would Shakespeare Twitter?

All you know is: Einsteinwould definitely prefer Facebook.

Why spend years holed up in aroom,trying to sublimate the base inhopesof winning the heart of someone forwhomyou'll forever have to keep up thecharade,whenin that same roomtheinternetwill let you have it for what it is,instantly, 24 hours-a-day?

The cat hops down from thewindow,setting itself down in your lapas you split the difference andperuse Casual Encounters posts.

a J s usc lv bl. el @j.c, scll u js.

Andrew jimene


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An interview with rick

midler b RICK MIDLEROn March 9th, 2010, Rick Midlersat down with himsel in hisBrookln aartment to discuss hiswork at deth.

RICK MIDLER: The first thing thathits me when I look at your work is

the bright palette. You seem to beable to use every color in your paintbox and make them work together.

rick midler: Thanks. Its somethingIve been working on. How colorscan share the same space withoutgetting too busy or muddy. Theuse of primary colors is not only

intentional, its important. On theoutset, I wanted these pieces toappear as if a child created themwith a box of Crayolas. I definitelyfeel like a kid with adult angst as Ipaint. Creating art should feel likeplaying. Its very easy for me to seethe color in things. And if I dont, Ilook for it.

RM: Whats The Game about?

rm: Theres a lot going on in mywork, but theres always a centralthemeusually about a war withinmy head. The Game is aboutour choices and how we playthemabout the randomness oftaking sidessometimes youre Xssometimes you're Os. It explores

control versus destiny.

RM: Tell me about the eyeballcritters in the vase.

rm: Ah, yes, those guys. Theyrepresent the voyeurs andjudges inside meyou know, theintrospective, worrisome, analytical

me. I am very aware about how Ilook at the world and myself. WhenI fall or become sad, its interestingto me that I notice it, much like theeyeball in the lower right cornerwho seems shocked that he felloris thinking about how he fell. Thevases pattern of both Xs and Osmimics my disinterest in taking one

RICK VS. rick


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Te Game36" 36"ol cvs2009


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side or the other. I grew up as amiddle child, thus I see all sidesIm an excellent diplomat. This,however, leaves both the piece andme questionable, because if youdont have conviction, you come

across as a clown. I happen tolike clowns and see myself as one,but theres this pull to always beserious, to choose a side, to moveforward and be successful.

RM: Is he [the clown] crying orbleeding?

rm: The eye is crying into the poolof blood in the background. Eventhe white ower petals turn intotears. For representations sake, thered as fire and the white dropletsas water offer something to thinkabout.

RM: Why is he stepping on the

ower stem?rm: The nature in this piecepushes the connectivity of internaland external experiences. If hedidnt chose a side, hed still bein the gameremaining an activeparticipant in the worldand hedalso still be hurting himself by

harsh self-judgement. So in effect,he is stepping on himself. Funny,it seems to be too easy to hurtourselves.

RM: Okay, lets talk about the bluetree.

rm: Hes the center target ofthis frivolous gamehands are

outstretched, exclaiming, Here Iam! Positioned on and wearing atarget on his chest adds, Comeand get me, to his manner. Abovehim, a red explosion, and fromthere, you can follow the colors

and images around the canvasalittle journey, leaving you quicklyforgetting it all began with a bang.Life works in this waysomethingbig happens which pushes you inanother direction, leaving a void inmemory as to where you started,or how you were pushed in the

first place. So maybe theres areason for these explosions, fights,outbursts. Maybe theres a reasonfor our problems. Coming backto that blue tree, he seems heroic,like he knew what he was doingall along. And even though heexploded, he still stands strong.

RM: What are the symbols on thecolored balls?

rm: In my work, balls represent alot of different things. Balls are thefirst thing you learn to shade. Theysometimes begin as place holdersfor an idea. Then I realized that theygive me something to think about,

which is fun, so I dont try to refinethem or turn them into specificthings. In this case I see them asbombs, the stems and fuses. So,when our googly-eyed vase-man steps on one, he is actuallysnuffing it out, attempting to savehimself from having to face anotherexplosion.

Rick Midler


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The symbols are a number 3, aninfinity symbol, an m. Somewhatrandom, but happenings ingroupings of three show up a lotIthink subconsciously they areclose to the Sanskrit ohm which

mystically embodies the essence ofthe universe. Its a number I draw

automatically without thinking, soI figure it has to mean somethingto me. I trust that it does, so I dontneed to think any further about it.Thats one of the principals of [my]surrealism.

RM: Tell me about the explosions?

rm: I chose to paint the twoexplosions with yellow and blackoutlines, in pure cartoon fashion.This was to remind myself that theexplosionsthe repercussionsare not real. These battles going oninside us all the time are just games

we play with ourselves. The path ofdestruction is a red carpetthereis fame involved here completewith success and notoriety, themisconception being that youhave to win to achieve it. Theexplosion also creates a divisionbetween the green-topped trees

and blue-topped treesstrangerswho, for some random reason, areagainst your point of view, butstand on a target just like we do.

RM: Thats you seeing yourself asboth sides again.

rm: (laughs) Right. I cant helpit. I relate to all the characters on

the canvas. I especially like themountainhes got eyes but hecant see. It represents the earthand universe watching us live withinhim. No judgment, just smiles anda laid back auraa stoner maybe.

People think I must be smokingsomething when I paint but I cantdo that. Salvador Dali said it best: Idont do drugs, I am drugs.

RM: The mountain seems to wear atarget on his shoulder.

rm: I wanted the targets to follow

a path, as everything does in thepiece. Having them go over themountains shoulder was a funchoice. It made him appear a bitlike a general soldier.

RM: He also wears an X on hishead. I guess X marks the spot.What about the box in the lower left

corner. It has an X on it too.rm: Hes got a hollow head. Hesjust a box. And I like that therestwo blue people watching him froma safe distanceAdam and Eve,the dichotomy of humanity. If youlook behind the vase-man to theright youll see his mirror image.

He has an O on his box-head. TheX and the Owhos right, whoswrong? Whos good, whos bad?Its random. It could be just whereyou happen to be standing at thegiven moment. For example, theman on the left, with the X, hasa target above his headround,like a halo. But the one on the

Rick Midler


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right, with the X-head, is underred droplet devils horns. See whatIm getting at? Sometimes its justcircumstance.

RM: Isnt it just a veiled

representation of an angel anddevil?

rm: Of course. Those bits wereentirely intentional. But if you lookat them, they are standing back,not getting into the thick of the fight.Just watching. Like everyone in thepiece.

RM: So who are the bad guys?

rm: There are no real bad guys.But surprises throw us off course.We think were so smart. Wethink that we know whats goingto happen next because weplanned everything so carefully.We worked so hard to make life

go according to plan. We fall intoour routineswhen were goingto what Starbucks for what sizedcoffee. But when something throwsus off course, thats when we getupset. So, I set up a rhythm withthe black and purple raindropson the top of the canvas. Those

represent things that happen. Justthings, life happenings. But then,if you follow left to right, there isbreak in the patterna red one.Okay, just let it pass, think nothingof it. Then a yellow one. Hmm.Thats a sign. Look down at theyellow ower growing out of thethorny vine ladder. Yellow drops

turn into a swarm of bees. Arethey attacking? Did they cause theexplosion? Nothing says theyrebad, but showcase how thoughtcan attack.

RM: There seems to be a lot to sayabout this piece. Anything that youwant to mention before we closethe door on this conversation?

rm: You see that blue O in theupper quarter of the piece, deadcenter? It seems to be hangingfrom a black string. Its just another

X or O, right? But if you pull thisO-ring, you can pull down thecurtain on the whole picture. Ifigured, I could think about thegame some more, or give myselfa break and pull the curtain down.The black pull string was the lastline I painted. Some people ask mewhen I know Im done with a piece.

This one was easyI created a wayto close the curtain.

RM: Thanks for spending sometime with me on this lovely day.Now if youll show me where thebathroom is

rm: You know where the bathroom

is. (sighs) First door on the right.rc ml s bl-s s, e-a cv c..cl.

Te Game36" 36

ol cvs2009

Rick Midler


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avRun Along Homeol cvs36" 36"2009

rTe Dude and Iol cvs36" 60"2009

p 17Entering Neverwherol cvs48" 48"2009

p 16Bee Warnedol cvs20" 20"2009


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CEASIA KING & ARIANA pROEHL

A: What you all about?

C: I am more than my faceMore than the marks that invade my skinI am nothing like the sidewalk or your usual walk down the pavement

I am the hope that never made it to the dreamI am unseen, shades of colors spill all over my faceMy expressions speak to youMy silence pushes through the knots in your heart

From my hair to my bodyI am more than one that you can just eraseI am not your usual egocentric bitchBut rather the savage who lit the fire

I have no truthsMy soul reveals more than what mattersI am what dives into the white wall

My eyes tell you a storyI am the distorted image that never left the pageI am better than my kindI appear with the sincerity of a goddessWith a mixture of moods and colors

That say Im more than comfortable with myself

I dive into written wordsI am so far in that no one can save meI am ineffable

A rare description of who you want to becomeA hazard to your lifeIm so smoothIm the reason your hands never could touch the surface

EGO RIpS

(WE KNOW ExACLy WHy)


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Im the energy that keeps the electricity owingIm the states that united your AmericaLived your dream and made you see realityMy attitude wrestles with your conscienceSpeaking to you I dictate your certaintyI am the identity that managed to fade away

Came back to haunt you andaccomplished it all in one day

C: How you livin?

A: Im livin large?

C: How large?

A: Im living so large

I gave birth to the universe and breastfed it the milky wayKing Kong is about the size of my thumbMy smile out shines the light of the sunIn fact my energy is so intenseThe sun retires daily to rest from being in the strength of my presencePlus the moon and stars get jealous and miss meShooting stars to get my attentionEclipsing the sun from time to time in battles for my affectionIts sweet, really

I send spaceships into outer space just by blowing a kissI blink 90 mile an hour windsThe Saharan desert was my sandbox as a kidHave fond memories of playing building blocks with the pyramidsBut cringe remembering when I accidentally dropped the Sphinxand broke off its noseMy badSo I created six other wonders of the world to make up for it

Because thats justHow I doOh yes,I am too yI make air traffic controllers work overtime

Cs k s u s scl ll su c ScusUvs ll. a pl s s cs sl- cu u ls vl, l d Vs .vs.c lucs Ju. t u gls w n .ls..

Ceasia King & Ariana proehl


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LEVESER WILLIAMS

LIFE OF A BLACK SEED, (Right, top)Clay and steel, 2010

This artwork focuses on Blacks limited access to resources, such aseducation, jobs, etc., due to racial barriers surrounding them.

IMPENDING DANGER (Right, bottom)Matches, 2010

Piece embodies peoples urge to dominate over one another.

Lvs s 3 s su Uvs mc a a s s lc s su .

CHALLENGES


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ADENIKE HUGGINSTe set u: Te witt wordsmith,Micke Fact, is known or hisarrogant and incisive unch linesand smooth ow. His new mitae,Te Dark Phoenix Alpha, ofersdark themes and rovides moodmusic or a time when eole are

graling with change and whatit reall means. An avid art lover,Micke breaks down some equalldark and emotionall heav ieceso art in a reestle ashion. Ishowed him a selection o works bamous artists, and he resondedin a noholdsbarredrstthingthatcomestomind stle.

RORSCHACHS OFMICKEy FACz


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RIvERA(Above)

MICKEY FACTz: It looks like awoman of Mexican or Spanish

descent. Usually mothers orwomen of that culture carrybaskets of water to the children tonourish them. This one, however, isa woman carrying owers. When Isee a basket full of owers carriedby a woman, it just seems likeshes bringing joy, love, and peace

to the world. Im kind of a littlethrown off by the feet that are inthe background, because theydont look they would be hers, butit does kind of look like somebodyelses. Love and peace is all abouthelping one another, so it seemslike somebody else is helping her tobring this love, joy, and peace!

KAHLO (Right)

MF: Wow, this is a beautifulpainting! What are those tacks?

Does she have a mustache?! Theunibrow is ridiculous. It is mad thickand the mustache is kind of faint,and then she even got under-the-lip hair. Shes crying as well. Shesprobably crying because she gotthat unibrow! Overall what Imseeing from it, is a woman who is

going through a lot. The columnrepresents her backbone whichis being chipped away. I wouldlike to think that somebody putthese tacks on her as well as thesestraps to kind of hold herself upto continue on this journey thatshes on. Cuz if you look at thebackground, it has a desert kind

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of background. The straps arereally holding her together. Despitewhat she went through in her life,she can still make itas long as

everything stays intact.

KANDINSKY(Page 26)

MF: Oh, abstract art! I actuallylike Kandinsky. Me personally,Ive never been a real big fan ofabstract art, I cant really get intoit, and there are so many different

meanings to it. But when I look atthis, what I see is a vast universe,placed together. I see a planet inthe left corner that kind of looks likeSaturn. And then I see somethingon the right that kind of resemblesJupiter because it has a lot ofdifferent chemicalseverything isso out of place. Kind of beautiful. I

even see a black hole. WheneverI see abstract art, I get that itssomebody who has a lot on theirmind and theyre just releasing

what they feel on the canvas, andwhat they see on the canvas,because this is pretty intense.

ADENIKE HUGGINS: Sinceabstract art is just getting outwhats inside of you, how wouldyou relate it to a freestyle?

True freestyles are typically doneoff the head. Everything that youfeel, anything that comes across inyour mind, whatever you are feeling

And I kind of get that with abstractart sometimes. Freestyling can berandomkind of like dreams. Ifyou are not skilled, its just random.There are so many different images

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here. You see geometry, you seetrigonometry, planets, you see lines.So its all placed together to mean

something, but it all depends onwhat it means to the person thatslooking at it. Its dope!

BASqUIAT (Right)

MF: You gotta love Basquiat. Heis just a freak! This Mona Lisa istotally different from Da Vincis. The

first thing you notice is the way thedollar bill is attached to it. Insteadof George Washington on the dollarbill, you have Mona Lisa. Maybethis is the American version ofMona Lisa. Then when you lookat it closer there are drawingson the cheek and chin. It kind ofresembles a male. If you look at it

from a distance you wouldnt thinkit was the Mona Lisa. But when youcome a little closer you, becauseof the other artwork attached toher dress and arms, you say, Ohokay, this is the Mona Lisa. Thedollar bill is not even green, its kindof reddish and then her face is stillreddish. It kind of looks like thedevil. Look at the eyes, the eyes arered. Even over the right eye, thereslike a little mark there, like its a

horn. Im looking at it like Americaand the American dollar is the devil.And being that the Da Vinci codementions Mona Lisa and Jesus andthat connection, this could be theopposite of it. It definitely gives mean aura of some type of devilishimagery. Its red, its not green, itsred-orangey. Even though fire is

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not red, its orange; a lot of peoplethink that fire is red, its not red, itsorange. And because of how our

government is, it kind of makessense. Got it?

AH: Got it. Mona Lisa is a onedollar ho!

MF: I like it!

RINGGOLD (Page 28)

MF: This was actually the first thingI looked at. I didnt look at anythingelse. Its just the one picture thatI looked at The Flag Bleeding.Heres exactly what I see from it, Isee three people, arm in arm, oneman holding his hand over his heartas they look at the American ag.They are not in the American ag,

I feel like they are looking at theAmerican ag. And they are lookingat the progression of what MartinLuther Kings dream was. Which

was walking hand-in-hand, arm-in-arm, making it happen. If youlook at the black gentleman in thepainting, hes holding a knife.

AH: Yeah whats up with the knife?

MF: Hes holding a knife becauseI think the war on peace and

love is still going on, but for noweverything is all good. A lot ofpeople died for this word calledfreedom and thats what the stainsunderneath the stripes are. I feellike the war is still going on for totalequality. Racism is gone, but forright now this is where we stand.That was really easy, I did my thing.

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FAIREY(Right)

MF: Oh see this is some Illuminatistuff right here. Yes, you got an

eye with a star in the middle. Myquestion is can you really believewhat you are told or believe whatyou see? You are supposed tobelieve what you believe in, period.Whether it is off faith or what yousee, what you hear. The eye hereis showing, hmmyou gotta seedeeper than what you see, becauseof what it says: Never trust yourown eyes. So, even though yousee something, you kind of haveto research it and dig deeper thanwhat you are told. So you haveto listen as well as see. Its prettyvague.

AH: Whats the tone? Do you think

its necessarily negative or demonicI mean it is red

MF: When you look at it, you kindof get an illuminati feel to it withthe star inside of the cornea, thentheres the geometrics inside of theiris there as well. But my theoryis believe what you see, believewhat you are told and come to yourown conclusion of what you aresupposed to believe. Boom!

a s bl l lvs cvs sss ; l s llss.

S F o e

F rl T Fl bl


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ANDREW FOLSER

Day by day, our world crumbles

away.We all play while we say,We will change some day.Treating your mother withdisrespectIs never beneficial,Its official.We are far gone. Check mate.

You cant kill a King with a pawn.This is our fate, now we just wait.Im sure mother nature hassomething coming.No not the second coming.So many think a higher power willsave us.Well thats a fuss.Why dont we actually change?

Rearrange this deranged game,Instead of staying the same.Whos to blame?

Years and years of capitalistindoctrination,Creates a wasteful nation.Patiently waiting for our demise.Thats why I despise the wise.They realize our gloom,Yet they sit back and watch thegloom.

Well, Boom! Its all over now.Somehow she will rebuild,But the earth wont be filled withour kind.We are too blind...

a s ls u s c u l s c l, s c.

ICK OCK


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RyAN CHAppELL

I thought about you todayThe embers and ooding waterscame roaring back

A stied past I reect onOne filled with empathic sorrowand hurts of tomorrowI felt itThe pain of one scorned embeddedin mystery

You must let go beyond your miseryLook deep inside for the phoenixRise from the ashes and livebeyond what lies beneath itYour special, gods vision of loveDont disappoint for hiscompassion trumps all aboveI though i hated you for reasonshave choices

Even many are beyond ouravoidanceThey have been made clearfade beyond tears as they fight todisappear with no escapeI pray theres still love there for theboth of us can bear

A vision so similar that sands oftime wont beg to differJust remember I am your extendedlight and sunOne day future days will bringsorrows undone

r Cll s ol, Ca v s hus, tx. h s vls s s s cv u.

INSIGH

OMORROW


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MALIK jONES-ROBINSON

UNTITLED (Right, top)

This was taken a couple hoursoutside of Durban on our way to

the national game reserve.

vILLAGE WOMEN(Right, bottom)

This was taken in the village of thewoman who worked at the bedand breakfast we stayed in duringour trip. She was kind enough to

take us to her small town/village afew hours outside of Durban. Thispicture is of some of the elderwomen in the village sitting on abench against the outside of a claybuilding while the men put on a

little show.

UNTITLED (Pages 3435)

This was also taken a couple hoursoutside of Durban.

ml s 26 l ulc scl c s n y C. ml s v vll u .

pANORAMICS AND pEOpLE


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jAMIE KILLEN

LAST TRAIN LEAvING(Right, top)

After having an amazing dayvisiting Coney Island for the firsttime, I snapped this picture with myCanon Powershot point-and-shootcamera on the Q train right as the

sun was setting and another trainwas blowing by in the oppositedirection. It was perfect timing.

Acting as a filter, I used a pair of$5 dollar chinatown sunglasses(Chinatown Optometry, as I liketo call it) to cover the lens of thecamera, which allowed me to

point it almost directly into the sun.When I took this photo, I hadnt yetmoved to Brooklyn and was justvisiting friends for a week duringthe summer of 2008, but it wasthis experience that solidified mydecision to move to New York City,to try to find this train, so I couldride it to the center of the sun.

FROM RUST TO DUSK(Right, bottom)

I took this picture from the roof ofmy brownstone in Bed-Stuy. It wasduring the winter in January 2009.No matter how cold it was, I wouldsit up there for hours, bundled head

to toe, looking up and out, trying tobecome attuned with Brooklyn, mynew surroundingsthe real placewhere the wild things are. Finally,when that cold sun set, I snappedthis picture of the skyline. For me, itwas a moment of solitude when allthe madness of my neighborhoodhad retired momentarily, where that

call of the wild style had becamea gentle whisper, and I knew that Ihad found my new home.

J kll s su su Ss CUny bl Cll Flus.h c u b44 us ns av., s cf, s cs l s s . h c c [email protected]

BKS SON


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Curated b AIBA . EDWARDS

Cloud 9theres a ma to nd thisutoian lace but once ou go to list outdirections ou suddenl sufer rom aquick sat o amnesia. you look to thesk and aint what our Cloud 9 willbe like when ou reach it. Cloud 9 isnta lace where it is all grav though.Instead, the bad is greatl outweighed bthe good. A goal/dream/desire has been

reached and ou check into Cloud 9. yousit rom our erch and realie ou haveaccomlished the roverbial I. Withall things good, Cloud 9 is a temorarstate that requires ou to kee workingrather than get comortable. Comortabates lainess, which will make ouall right through Cloud 9 and onto our

head serving as a wake u call. Sta onour grind. Sta okused!

B.O.B AIRPLANES FEAT. HAYLEYFROM PARAMORE(THE ADvENTURES OF BOBBY RAY)

I could use a dream or a genie or a wish/ To go back to a place much simplerthan this / Cause after all the partying and smashing and crashing / And allthe glitz and glam and the fashion / And all the pandemonium and all themadness / There comes a time when you fade to the blackness / And youstaring at that phone in your lap / And you hoping but those people nevercall you back / But that just how the story unfolds / You get another handsoon after you fold

DL PATIO WATAGATAPITUSBERRY FEAT. PITBULL,SENSATO & LIL JONSeriously...

INFINIE pLAyLIS: CHApER 4Cloud 9Limited Vacancy


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KEvIN RUDOLF I MADE IT FEAT. BIRDMAN, JAY SEAN,AND LIL WAYNE (TO THE SKY)I look up to the sky and all the world is mine / Ive known it all my life / Ivemade it / I used to dream about the life Im living now / I know that theres

no doubt / I made it

LIAM LYNCH THIS IS MY UNITED STATES OF WHATEvER (FAKESONGS)

Cause this is my United States of Whatever!

DRAKE - SAY WHATS REAL (SO FAR GONE)Why do I feel so alone / Like everybody passing through the studio is incharacter as if he acting out a movie role / Talking bullshit as if it was foryou to know / I dont have the heart to give these bitch niggas the cue togo / So they stick around kicking out feedback / And I entertain it as if Ineed that

NOTORIOUS B.I.G. SKYS THE LIMIT FEAT. 112 (LIFE AFTER DEATH)Stay far from timid / Only make moves when ya hearts in it / And live thephrase skys the limit / Motherfucker / See you chumps on top

NAS THUGz MANSION FEAT. TUPAC AND J. PHOENIx (GODS SON)Im capable of anything, my imagination can give me wings / To y like

doves over the streets watchin many thingsGIST YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK

The throne is chair / You warming up my seat / Warm enough to reachhearts / Just with the speech / Dont worry Im not a retard / Though thespit leaks / Through the speaker / The fight of an old leader/ Huey P withthe soul of Simone Nina

LIL WAYNE GOSSIP (THE LEAK 2)Dont believe in me / Dont believe me / Ive graduated from hungry to

greedyMOBY IN THIS WORLD (18)

Lordy dont leave me / All by myself / Whoa, in this world / Lordy dontleave me / All by myself

BIG BOI OUTRO (BIG BOI PRESENTS GOT PURP vOL. 2)I wanna live like I made it happen / Dont want no good luck / Dont wantno handouts / All I wanna do is work for mine / Dont want no favor / I donteven want a lot


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COVER AR: HE GAMEVolume III | Issue 2

RICK MIDLER

From the series titled EnteringNeverwhere, 20092010

This work provokes thoughts about

right and wrong, good and bad,us and them. Its about havingideals, but being able to challengeyour belief system. It deals withthe consequences of action. Itsmeant to examine self-reection,like a mirror reecting anothermirror. Hopefully the viewer will ask

themselves why they believe whatthey believe.

At the very least, I hope peoplefollow the patterns and understandthat everything is connected, thateverything is one. I want them tofeel the energy of repeated objectsand colors and re-interpret the

meanings of symbols.

Im aware of the energy betweenseemingly unrelated objects. I

feel peoples emotions like littleexplosions. Since painting thisseries Ive been hyper aware ofcolors. I just dont recall colorsbeing as vibrant to me as they arenow. I feel lucky to be able to paintwhat I feel, to be able to put thingson canvas or paper before I actually

know what they mean. I intend tosay certain things and follow thatpattern of thought down the rabbithole. It makes for a much moreexciting journey than if I plannedevery step of the way.

Id like to thank all the people whomade this journey possible: my

family and close friends, who judgeme far less than I do myself; as wellas the seemingly random peopleon subways and park benches whohave felt the impact of my workwhile secretly watching me draw inmy sketchbooks and approachedme with such moving and thought-provoking sentiments.


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insight magazine | issue #22

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