By: TheStylishWriter
Are we currently victims of what has been done to us versus what we continue to do to ourselves or would we benefit more from help that we rightfully deserve versus helping ourselves with what we have at our disposal or have we simply failed the generations to come because we haven’t properly prepared them for the world we truly live in?
Ironically a piece of art gave me perspective. At first glance it made me think of Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 cover art, but as I kept looking I got that feeling you get when you solve the mystery in the movie before they reveal it to you, but you’re sure you got it right. It all started coming together. The white space represents everything that is available to everyone except us. Just imagine that the white space is land as far as our eyes can see with unlimited resources to go along with it. Everyone living in perfect harmony except those living with us, behind the wall of “the redline”. If you’re living behind “the redline” you don’t have the same access to resources. Everyone there is limited and the area is overpopulated, simply because everyone that looks like you is put there. People on the outside of “the redline” don’t want to understand how this could happen, they’re just thankful they were “blessed” enough to have “God’s favor”. While inside, the experience is overrun with confusion and chaos, it’s complete anarchy. Children being raised in a war zone where they’re innocence is capped by their own understanding of the circumstances.
If you’re living behind “the redline” you don’t have the same access to resources.
I continue to look the piece over and I see “the redline” is faint with the black blocks right in the middle and I then knew exactly what happened. Out of struggle, often comes great triumph spearheaded by pain that is familiar with the fire of survival. The blocks represent the triumph. They worked with what they had to build and structure within the confines of “the redline”. They made up their minds to no longer concern themselves with anything beyond the wall so they put all of their time, resources, and efforts into development that provided them a better life which is why the blocks are so visible, black, and decadent. People were thrown into a place and forgotten, they couldn’t see over the wall and used that as fuel to create a space that look like heaven to them.
Just in case you’re wondering how “the redline” became faint. It’s probably assumed that they built everything up and tore down the wall to finally be accepted by the civilization that deemed them unworthy initially, but it was the opposite. The civilization that deemed them unworthy couldn’t fathom how content they had become with their area so they tore down “the redline” wall just to see how that many people with limited resources could be at peace with what they left them. I believe this is where the artist woke up from the dream.
About the Auther:
Gedidiah “GED” Starks, music, movies, and fashion enthusiast is a creative writer and stylist, whose passion for written word began with poetry and rap lyrics. Known as The Stylish Writer, styling and writing are art forms he uses to express his perspective for an orderly lifestyle. His pen has been the voice for various brands who have sought out his witty point of view. Ged’s vision is to be the voice of reason with words people can live by.
Jake Black Fine Art Magazine 
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