Yes We Can

Did you think I would take a picture of my midnight madness? Well, I couldn’t then, not at one thirty in the morning. I don’t like flash photography. I don’t own horsehair. I have other plans for the snipped ends and I need my comforter. But mostly I didn’t want to dwell on the negative any longer. A dark frame of mind needs to be left behind. Yes, reference to Bear sixty-seven’s positioning in the photograph is intended!

Six hours of sleep, a little patience, and a trip to my fluff provider solved the problem. Just a little insight here: The Bear in the photograph seems to “heal his own wound” by pricking himself in the paw with the needle that eventually makes him whole. And if more symbolism is needed, the dark frame touches the hero’s image and the cloud of poly-fil. Indeed, the picture revolves around a triad of interconnected/interactive pieces: Encouragement, self-determination, and a little help from a shopping cart full of good will and proper stuffing.

Of course I had always wanted to use Mr. Mandela’s image in a very important shot. I did not ever intend to connect my hero with a mediocre case of need. Poly-fil was not on my list of situations that require the presence of a strong yet forgiving mind. Neither does Poly-fil fit the bill when I think of the slogan “Yes We Can.” Some might even see this whole scene as “over the top.” If my concept of connecting fluff with a mountain of clichés and condensing the principles of nation building into a question of horsehair vs. polyester stuffing offend anybody, I sincerely apologize. I am an artist and sometimes I feel that life is too grand to be discussed unfiltered. My method of filtration is to reduce it to a fairytale. At best I gain a metaphor in my search. If the worst happens, if I’ve missed the mark, I hope I have learned a lesson. Before I hit the delete button I promise myself to try again: “By Any Means Necessary!"