Response to Chaz Bojorquez's text

I always thought of graffiti as being art but I never formed an argument as to why. I am glad to have read Chaz Bojorquez’s article because it put my opinion into perspective. Art includes a historical context and varies in style. Bojorquez talks about the “Old School Cholo” style graffiti and the culture surrounding it. The Zootsuit culture formed during the 40’s when Mexican-Americans were being deported. Low-rider cars, pompadours, and fly suits shaped the landscape and Old School Cholo graffiti was the backdrop. Both influenced each other and, like art, graffiti was born from the pain of that era. Graffiti is Artivism, it was a “public announcement,” marking the territory of the people who were considered unwelcome. There was also Hip Hop style graffiti that spoke for the individual who wanted to make him or herself “exist.” Graffiti is rebellion and rebellion always leads to art. Graffiti may shout out a neighborhood or an individual to passers-by to make them know that they exist but I have always felt, and was unable to articulate until I read this article, that graffiti makes me feel that I exist also. I am able to identify, appreciate, and -though I do not write graffiti- feel a part of a rebellion that seeks to make themselves known in a world that tries to wipe us out. Just like the Zootsuiters, I am a part of a movement that shapes the letters painted on highways and buildings. I am living in an era where my people are being denied healthcare, my people are being deported, racially profiled, sold guns, and miseducated. I am marching amongst the rebellion that freestyles, shuffles, riffs, slams poetry, rocks kicks with zipped hoodies, and sprays all this on the wall to let folks know we refuse to be wiped out by consumerism and commercialism because we exist.

Graffiti is Art!!

Before I read the reading, I had no idea that graffiti had a different style and it had such a long history behind it. It seems like that Charles “CHAZ” Bojorquez is very supportive of the idea that graffiti is a weapon to express the artists’ soul. I agree with him because graffiti seems so unlimited in some way that everybody could do them. Since art itself for me is such a vague word, I am not sure to define what is art or not. It seems that everything that we create could be an art in some sort therefore graffiti is art for me too. However, thinking of graffiti, this came up in my mind. Could some of the graffities that are drawn on traffic signs also be considered as art? I am not sure of that actually. This might be the one that expresses the soul of the person but in terms of breaking the laws it might be not, I guess?
Anyway, it was great that I was able to make it to the field trip this time to see the great Wall of Los Angeles. Considering the long journey of painting the mural, it felt almost unreal for me. It was also surprising that they were continually fixing the mural.

Michael Voorhees on Chaz Bojorquez's Text

I was very interested in Bojorquez's interpretation and history of tagging. I have always been attracted to that style of art work. I once heard that in New York your street respect would grow based on the places you tagged. The harder and more difficult places to reach were more renowned in the graffiti world. This idea of environmental art where the journey of getting to the canvas is just as important as the art itself is wonderful. When ever I see a tag on a high up building or on the free way I wonder, "How did that artist get their? Was it in the dead of night? did they have to fight of a rival artist or run from the police?" The history and story of the artist can be seen in the tag.
"Chaz' also talks about the marketing world being a form of Graffiti. Who has the right to post what billboard goes where, and what words reach out at us. Of course it is how much money you pay. And maybe one day Graffiti will be more respected as a whole by society. But I wonder if that's a good thing for the art work? If you take away its desperation, the rebellion, and the thrill of the tag, will it mean the same thing?

What is Art?

I have seen some beautiful graffiti and I have seen some destructive work. Murals have been vandalized by groups thinking they need to show their territory and ranking within the city. There is a wall in Venice Beach that I heard allows artist to come and graffiti daily there without an issue. I personally haven't seen the wall but I think its a great idea. Just like the skate parks they created for the skater to hang out in instead of our streets and parks.
The issue though is what do we constitute as art? One person's Mona Lisa is an others' form of vandalism. When the Obey posters were plastered every where a few years ago, people where either interested or ripping them down.
I like Chaz's idea of art. He has been an artist for a long time and understands it as an art. It's hard to change a society's way of thinking especially when it's in a negative way of looking at things. We are the future generation and we have to be open minded to the idea of "art" regardless of it's medium.

Ivy Bloemsma-Russell

What is art?

The article was very pertinent to my final project in the way that the article attempts to define graffiti as art. In my personal opinion, art is a thing both above the law and dependent on the law. One cannot argue that part of the novelty of graffiti art is that it is illegal. The law gives the act of ‘tagging’ a particular danger that I feel is an integral part of art making. I don’t find safe, ‘high school-esque’ theater enjoyable, nor would I consider it art. I haven’t thought about this in great depth, but perhaps a piece of the answer to the age-old question: What is art? is that integral danger; Something that is at stake. Whether it be an artist’s reputation, the conflagration of a widely accepted form, or the breaking of a law, I believe something must be at stake for the artist or the work of art itself.

My argument then begs another question: What about the intention of the tagger? Perhaps his intention was to simply mark a territory as mentioned in the article, and not necessarily to ‘create a work of art’. I then pose the question: can the tradition of marking one’s territory be an art in itself? At the Philadelphia Museum of Art a Japanese teahouse was erected, and an exhibit was too erected surrounding it. The Japanese tea ceremony became a work of art inside the context of this museum. So perhaps for a tradition to be recognized as an art form it has to first be recognized by a panel of curators in a particular museum who deem it worthy to enter the doors of their museum. Something about that unsettles my stomach. Why does art only have to exist inside a gallery? Who is to say that one tradition is more worthy of the artistic standard than another? Each of these questions begs much more thought and analysis, and will most likely remain open-ended until the end of time.

Graffiti Perversion

Graffiti is art, is it? And to whom? And in what fashion is it considered acceptable to impose on the general public? Graffiti is often negatively addressed because of the placement of the alleged “art,” the nature of the content, and the intention behind it. Yes, art is created to provoke the expression of emotion in humanity, frequently resulting from a change or for a change, so in that respect, sure, let’s call it art, for art’s sake. Graffiti is a world-renowned activity, but portrayed in a multitude of ways. Specifically speaking to Bojorquez, while he wasn’t a member to a gang, he got his start on the streets, inspired by the streets, and for the streets. He references the United States Constitution in failed attempt to prove the two documented pieces of text comparable. The Old English style font is supposed to instill a sense of dominant permanence amongst the exclusive group, as well as the misinterpreted significance of the government instated manuscript. According to the first amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” This law has been radically manipulated by many, including the gangs of Los Angeles, which Bojorquez alludes to. While gang graffiti is their version of free vocalization, it does not appeal to the majority vote, therefore it is not operating as a democratic system. He defines gang graffiti as “markings by generations of rebellious youth announcing their pride and strength to all outsiders,” and states that “we all have the same mother, rebellion.” If that is true, and that sense of anarchy does in fact exist, than that given circumstance, by no mean, corresponds to the ideals of the constitution. Charles Bojorquez’s graffiti art emulates the street society, but through a variety of mediums that doesn’t involve destruction of government property. He said that he has done work for “movie and product advertising agencies” as his day job, which is highly affective, as the media appeals to the masses, thus rebelling though government support. Bojorquez solicits several questions. “Does graffiti have intent, purpose, cultural identity, history and create unity? Who owns the public space and who has the right to speak and be heard?” It is absurd to question the purpose of graffiti, after writing a several page log of its use and intention of said supposed “art.” The “public space” is owned by the government, that also happens to support even criminals’ rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Rebelling against those higher powers, that are instilled to provoke a universal justice, is just plain ignorant.

Danielle Korman, BFA 3 Stage Manager

GRAFFITI IS ART !! by Charles "CHAZ" Bojorquez

GRAFFITI IS ART !!

by Charles "CHAZ" Bojorquez

It was very interesting to read about the history of east LA graffiti from the perspective of a graffiti artist who has seen the medium grown and change with the times. I also found his interest in graffiti as an art form and not a political statement intriguing as well.

In this article Bojorquez barely touches on the issue of graffiti “violating” property and instead says “Any dialogue about graffiti that does not talk about the image is just politics”. Most conversations concerning graffiti do only consider it’s morality and it’s origins rather than it’s merit and worth as an art form. I recall that on the first day of this very class my fellow students were very concerned with the morality of graffiti and not once did the dialogue discuss the line, form, history, and (artistic) impact of the graffiti movement…I am looking forward to our field trip tomorrow to the The Great Wall of Los Angeles and am interested in learning more about graffiti as a arts movement rather than as a “menace” to private property.

graf art

I deeply enjoyed reading this article by Chaz Bojorquez and really - for pretty much the first time - learning about the craft of graffiti art from someone with quite an intimate relationship with it. Often, I think these discussions are filtered through lenses - biased towards "city cleanliness," official disdain or otherwise - that undoubtedly cloud the issue and temporarily mar one's perception of the actual work. what most interested me was his explanation of the differences between New York and Los Angeles/Cholo styles. Having spent time in both places and observed the graffiti in each, this section of his essay was an incredibly valuable one for me as it assisted me with articulating to myself the reasons I am more comfortable with Los Angeles styles or simply more interested in the familiarity of them.
Though Bojorquez's focus is graffiti, he also inherently addresses grand social issues, and longstanding civic developments; such is the nature of the practice, afterall. His claim that, "if the city was a body, graffiti would tell us where it hurts" was quite striking and conjured up an image of a dynamic, voiced city, rather than the official conception of a graffiti'd city being beaten down and shut up.

graffiti

I found the article to have many interesting points of similarity to what I have been comprehending and approaching in my craft. When the author describes the confrontation and understanding of graffiti as an art form, this rang true with me as an actor. Understanding and becoming vulnerable enough to open up and to just listen to that call. Another aspect of this article that spoke to me was how honest and passionate the author is. It is clear and evident in the language of the text of how much passionate the author has for his art. From his own personal history to the history of graffiti.

As for the actual subject of graffiti, I didn’t have any previous knowledge of it until this reading. It is interesting to hear the detail between the “cholos” style and the style in New York. One of my favorite lines is. “We all have the same mother, rebellion. Just a different father, style.” I feel that that line can be used to describe any form of art. It is that line between the art and the artist.

Graffiti

I loved reading about Charles Bojorquez and his experience with LA graffiti. I have very little basis of knowledge about graffiti other than I live in Los Angeles and I see it everyday. The one part that I associated with was when he was talking about when he went to Guadalajara, Mexico and then he came to CalArts. Both of those are extremely close to me. CalArts for the obvious reasons and Guadalajara because my father is from there. I have tons of family there and visit often enough to say I know the place. I especially associate with this idea of territory. My father would tell me stories of when he was young and he would go around and be in different gangs. Apparently, in the neighborhood that he lived in, different streets would be associated with different gangs. What I found amusing is that some of the gangs and territories would be named after bands. The street that my dad lived on was The Doors. I believe he said that one of the gang’s name was Led Zeppelin. My uncles told me stories of how on the walls there were big spray painted pictures of Jim Morrison. It never really seemed to be anything too violent or crazy, just something that they could associate a community with. Doors for life!

LAPD EXPERIENCE

The homeless or previously homeless individuals who partook in the LAPD "experience" all manifested some sort of magnificent spirit or unmanufactured soulful beauty. I think this energy they have, one that is many times inherent in those who have seen the dark side of this world, allowed our group to be at ease in our varying confusions. We were able to love these people and sit back, and yet know that questions should be asked. Their willingness to share themselves, their openness to performing for a group of privileged Calartians, their lack of petty judgment, their honest laughter was much more moving than the "show" LAPD had planned for.

However, I am not sure this is the way that I should have been moved. I think that we are past realizing the beauty of gritty humanity. I think we all know that impoverished people have dreams and aspirations. Yes, this is touching, but I do not think we went to Skid Row merely to marvel at these survivors. We went to see a theatrical presentation.

The pace of the show lacked umf, many of the skits seemed quite unrehearsed, The skits, quite honestly, were not well written and very timidly skimmed deeper subject matters. I am only being so harsh because it is obvious that the Skid Row performers had something serious and special to bring onstage that got lost somewhere. Their "magnificent spirits" were not put in the scripts. There was a scary gap between the vivacious energy available in the performers and what LAPD made of that energy.

(Holland?? What are these people talking about?)
Ahlam

From Jaco Loeb / LAPD

LAPD
The charisma at LAPD headquarters in Skid Row is something to behold. I am really fascinated by the idea of LAPD and think it’s got the potential to be an incredibly powerful initiative. However, I was not very much inspired by the boal-esque skits they performed on Wednesday morning. It seemed almost as though the performers were excusing themselves—like, at any moment they may have turned out to us and said, “give us a break, we live on Skid Row.” I want to see unapologetic, fierce, gripping performances from LAPD. Work that forces me to put on their shoes and look at the world. Work that leaves an impression on me whether I knew the performers are from Skid Row or not. I imagine that artists living on Skid Row have a lot to say, and I believe its LAPD’s job to support those voices by, not only unifying the artists, but also promoting technique, perfection and originality in their work and pushing them farther than they thought they could go. Based on what I saw, I think LAPD should hold a higher standard for their work, because I’m sure that the artists of skid row can do better.

LAPD

While reading about the LAPD I wished that I should have been to the field trip last week. Since I wasn’t able to feel exactly what other classmates felt, I am quite afraid to leave a comment about Skid Row culture. However, I felt that this is such a huge world that I am living and there seem to be a lot of people who are aware of what is going on with the society that they are living in. I feel like I have been living in such a narrow space even I came abroad to study. It is really good to know about LAPD because before, I could not realize how serious the skid row culture is. The way how LAPD interact with the culture seems so amazing to me, because it is easy to think what is better for our lives but it is not easy to make the actual changes. I am not sure that I am ready to make this comment either but I do feel like this is a whole other culture that needs to be spread out. This was one of the moments that made me think how I have been gifted to do my work and study not having severe difficulties.

Skskskskid row.

Last week our class went down (town). Way down (town).
I got to wake my white privileged butt up an hour early to drag it down to the impoverishment capital of LA county: skid row. I told my car I loved it, kissed it goodbye, locked it up tight, and entered the offices of the LAPD. No, not that cops. The poverty department. Seriously, they aren't cops. They just want to hear about your hopes, dreams, and aspirations. And give you some menacing-cool shades.

The sort of theater we got to experience was not the sort I'm used to making, It was theater as a tool, rather than as the goal. Watching the little skits performed by the homeless and formerly homeless was almost akin to the sort of puppetry used to talk to traumatized children: the theater is obviously only the means to what they're trying to do. As such, there is no real drive to make it GREAT theater, so it's awfully hard to talk about as theater.

Even harder to talk about were those young foreign artists whose answer to "What is your goal here?" seemed to be "Exactly! what IS our goal here?"

LAPD

I had mixed feelings about the trip to the Los Angeles Poverty Department. As we were on our way I was expecting a bit more than I got from the whole thing. As we made the walk over to the building I passed murals a homeless people and only one word came to my mind... “Grateful.” These people that we saw only had a shopping that could call their own; along with anything they could stick inside it. And here I was, with my iphone in hand, texting.
I also enjoyed watching some of these artist create as walked by. They are the prime example of artist who create art for the sole purpose of creating art. There is no hidden objective that they are trying to accomplish because some of these individuals have nothing left.
Though I learned alot from the presentation, I wish we could have gone deeper. Rather than listening to skits I would much rather have a more “hands on” approach to leaning about this issue. But all in all, I’m glad I made the trip and I have a greater sense of humility because of it.

In Vancouver there is a street called East Hastings, it is the hub of the homeless community that inhabits East Van. It is very visually depressing complete with drugs, poverty, and, what the outside communities refer to as the shopping cart mall. While expensive boutiques and studio apartments push the inhabitants of East Van further into a concentrated area, other members of Vancouver try to go into the community of East Van and 'make a change'. The issue is that the outsiders don’t understand that word ‘community’ in relation to East Van. I loved hearing the LAPD talk about Skid Row as what it is, a community, and to hear them talk about helping the community through being part of the community. Learning about the members of the community and hearing their stories and how being part of Skid Row is what saved them rather that led to a certain ‘demise’ of their well being. I was touched by the individual stories of hopes, dreams, and aspirations (desires?), some of the responses were very simple and made me think about what it is we want from our lives, the stories I heard last Wednesday were a true reminder about how our aspirations and desires consist of anything that gives us joy, this is often mistaken for fame and fortune. It was a wonderful, and grounding experience to get to visit the LAPD.

LAPD

I have spent the week deciphering my feelings and opinions about our visit to Skid Row. My initial reaction was utter confusion--once we entered the space, I couldn't seem to figure out what intentions and persons were behind what we were watching, nor could I manage to follow the train of thought behind the performances themselves. I caught on soon enough, and thought nothing else solid about the matter until I was working on a free write poem in my next class-- and the beginning pangs of disgust set in. How is it that we could possibly take a class field trip to Skid Row? It seemed eerily similar to taking a field trip to the zoo. Indeed, sometimes I caught myself looking at the residents as I would the caged animals: as something removed and lesser than myself. I hesitate to admit such a thing, for it does not reflect too positively on my person-- so I must be redeem by expressing utter disgust with myself. The whole time, I felt like I was watching a cartoon more than real life. The skits did not help this notion. Somehow, I felt they made a mockery of the deep rooted, precious stories of the residents of Skid Row. The trip did not serve the purpose (for me) of exposing me to the realities of other people's lives, no matter how I tried to open my eyes and observe. I'd like to have a more eloquent, fair reaction that proved my character worthwhile, but in reality..... I sicken myself with this reaction. So it is.

Los Angeles Poverty Department///LAPD

Our visit to LAPD marked the first time I’d be to Skid Row in a while. Two summers ago, I was a teachers assistant for a visual arts class at InnerCity Arts, which is a few blocks further into the district and is a site I found myself mentally referring back to frequently during the reading and the fieldtrip. InnerCity is in an area of Skid Row that is even more dominated by warehouses and Single Room Occupancy hotels: it reeks of urine on hot summer days and the sidewalks are covered in flies and drug paraphernalia. It was extremely fascinating to me to observe the differences between not only Downtown and Skid Row, but also the different blocks of Skid Row. As some other people have voiced, I was also marginally confused as to the presentation of the program. I absolutely did value the stories as they were presented in the performances; however I suppose I thought that (due to the intimate scale of the visit), we would be having a more straightforward session of testimonials, etc. Ultimately, I think that our experiences at LAPD may require more of a long-term mental decoding than that which we perceived initially. The process of viewing and considering the LAPD’s skits mirrors the rampant perception of the Skid Row area versus the (according to LAPD) actual reality. As the skits progressed, I felt an increase in my personal connections to the situations and emotions being so rawly portrayed and it was through this theatrical “outlet” (which, frankly, is not so much an “outlet” as it is a component of life) that I truly valued the time spent at LAPD.

LAPD

When I was first told that we were taking a class field trip to Skid Row my immediate reaction was, “Are you kidding me?” But I found myself enjoying the trip more and more as we were moving closer into LA. The car I was with had parked a few blocks away from our destination and my initial reaction was creeping into my head again. But once we had entered the building of our intention I had forgotten where we were at. After the presentations and the performances I had felt ashamed of what I was feeling and thinking before we had left and once we had arrived. One of the greatest lessons that I had learned from the performances and the presentations is that we are all people. It amazes me when I see struggle like this and very little is being done to correct these living situations. It is interesting to see that society has placed all of these social standings and class standings amongst people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures but at the core of it all: We are all people. No one is truly better than someone else. We all live on this planet together and the realization of that will be the first step towards lending that helping hand.

Skid Row

In 2009 on Mother’s Day my family went to the movie theater and saw The Soloist. The movie was released to theaters just a couple of months after I had been accepted to CalArts, and since the film takes place in Los Angeles (a city I hadn’t been to until CalArts) I was very interested in getting at least some view of the city before going off to school here. I remember leaving the theater with the feeling of having a hollow body. And after reading the article about Skid Row, and reflecting on that Mother’s Day I discovered that that hollow feeling was rooted in a deep sadness for the homeless of Skid Row (a predominant setting for the movie), and a feeling of unworthiness for all that I have. The article opened my eyes to the littlest joys that come about each year with tradition. To quote the article: “Father’s Day used to be quiet on Skid Row. Do you know what that does to a man’s self esteem? We had to start our own Fathers Day (celebrations).” To think that the people living in Skid Row didn’t even have tradition, much less homes, shelters, food, etc. brought me back to that Mother’s Day.

LAPD

I wish we had heard more about the personal stories of what brought these people together. I loved the fact that they created and prepared a performance for us and I was honored to watch there work. But I wish we could have had the chance to simply speak to these people. Why they came to Skid Row or what there connection to skid row was if they hadn’t physically lived there. I was more curious about the neighborhood and what within the neighborhood inspired them to stay and create art, rather than an end result that was prepared for us. I kind of wish that we had caught them more off guard to see who they really are; while we saw what they believe in, which gives us an idea of they are, we didn’t see them at their most basic. I wish we had had a talkback with them and I wish we had more time with the people of LAPD rather than their guest artists. I loved the trip I just wish we had learned more about their programs rather than how they wanted to appear to people on the outside, their inner workings, rather than the mask they wear for others.

Harley

LAPD

Our visit to the LAPD left me with a whole lot of questions and reservations about my feelings. While watching the performances I couldn’t help but feel mixed emotions. Part of me was smiling to see in front of me why theatre is such an amazing art form. The power theatre has to transform ones life and to inspire hope. The cynic in me began to question other aspects though. As much as I enjoyed parts of LAPD’s performance I wouldn’t call it a professional performance by my standards. That’s not to demean what LAPD has accomplished or what they are doing but simply how I felt. My mind began to think about how theatre is getting more and more saturated every day and I couldn’t help but wonder if LAPD would get recognition that might be more deserved based on theatrical merit somewhere else because of where LAPD comes from. This notion still doesn’t sit right with me. This led me to questions of authenticity in theatre. Very rarely do you see shows that are written, directed, and acted by people that have lived what they are performing. This was an interesting framework through which to present work. I have seen this done before in one-man shows but as part of a larger production this was new to me. I wondered how this felt for the performers. Is part of the theatre going experience escapism and is this attainable when the experience you are witnessing is one degree of separation closer to the reality?

L.A.P.D, not the Popo

I must admit when we went to visit LAPD, I thought we were going to hear stories about how the residents of skid row got there. Part of me wanted to know why and was curious. Maybe I was the only one? I'm not so sure why either.

ANYWAYS!

I was still trying to process the whole performance during the ride back. I wasn't sure where the Dutch guy was going with his project?

But I loved the life that everyone there had. The excitement. The joy. Hope. And most of all that there was no shame. They all take care of one another and are a huge family. It was rather welcoming. And they were wonderful performers, it was noticeable they enjoyed being up there and it came from the heart because they experienced it before.

Ok, I feel I'm rambling on about different things here...

I kind of want to learn a little more about the organization but coming from the people who started it. To start an organization is difficult but with people who might not want to participate for whatever the reason.

I'm curious about what happens to the people who they help out and leave skid row, do they ever? What about the children?

I guess I have more questions than anything..

I had a interesting time.

Karina

LAPD project

As a native of Southern California I have had to opportunity to see an abundance of homeless people in the downtown areas of San Diego and Los Angeles. And to see an organization, like LAPD, working on Skid Row in person really made me think that there needs to be a program in San Diego. While watching the expansion of Petco Park, our local baseball stadium, the homeless people where driven out and moved 4-5 blocks southeast. Getting them the furthers away from the Gaslamp quarter.
I was really moved by the reenactments and poetry preformed last week. I think it’s important to spread the word about the need for assistance in our downtown. Honestly, I didn’t feel comfortable going down there to see the office. With all the negative stereotypes and rumors of it being unsafe I was very wary of traveling, and parking my car there. It was a great relief to see that this project was helping to break the negative thoughts and help bring the community together. I never realized that Los Angeles had the most homeless per area. I always thought San Diego had the most, with the down town area filled with street tents and cardboard box homes. LAPD is a great resource for these people and I look forward to seeing what they can do for the community.

LAPD

When I first heard we were going to Skid Row I’ll admit I had my judgments and my preconceived ideas of what “Skid Row” was. But, after visiting the Los Angeles poverty department I truly must say that I was inspired and touched by the people there. The art program that was started in the skid row community finds something that everyone who chooses to part take can relate to. The stories, skits, art work, and photography created by the members of skid row opened my eyes to what it truly means to find the good in any situation. The positivity and beautiful work that comes out of their life experiences and the message that is carried into the neighborhood was amazing. The courage to even bring that up to people who feel like everything has been stripped away from them is something I feel I wouldn’t have the guts to do. Seeing them and hearing their stories made me feel like I’m not doing enough with my art. I want to be a part of a program like that. I want to feel like I’m encouraging people to make the best out of what they may or may not have because at the end of the day art isn’t about how much you spend but simply the beauty of creating and sharing something that is a part of yourself. The members of skid row arts program bring joy to a place that has seen so much gloom and I am thrilled that I was able to experience that. My judgments have been put away and I really do admire their fearlessness and everything this program is doing for the community and the people of Skid Row.
katherine ortiz

LAPD

Making the Case for Skid Row Culture: Findings from a Collaborative Inquiry by the Los Angeles Poverty Department and the Urban Institute

by Maria Rosario Jackson and John Malpede

The concept of the LAPD is to create an arts center and “safe-space” in an area that is otherwise ignored when it comes to arts and culture. According to the case study, “If a homeless person applies to the county welfare department or if someone is just out of jail, most likely he or she will be given a voucher to a hotel on Skid Row.” It was interesting for me to learn that those just out of prison are encouraged to live it Skid Row. I also found in interesting that the area is “a ‘high-tolerance’ zone-one in which public safety and sanitation laws are poorly enforced if they are enforced at all.” And found it backwards and almost satirical that laws that are usually ignored or not given a high priority for enforcement, like jay walking, are strictly enforced in the Skid Row area. I wonder if creating an arts and cultural center in an area that in design is “determined …to isolate it’s….residients” actually makes an impact, and if it really does help to un-alienate it’s residents.

L.A.P.D.

While I believe the field trip to have been overall, a great educational and cultural experience, I have very mixed feelings about what we were witnessing. I think the concept of the Los Angeles Poverty Department (L.A.P.D.) has outstanding potential and significance to truly helping and enlightening those that inhabit the inner city area. The program gives those of lesser financial fortune, a chance to participate in a community based and mentally enriching art development project, that can then be shared with whoever chooses to join. As I’m sure those that presented their communicative process were enveloped in the activity, it seemed there existed a sense of falsehood in their intention. They were not sure of themselves and what they were doing or saying, which completely defeats the purpose. They were using being broke and unsupported as an excuse to not try. While Skid Row is an influential area of town, I don’t know that attracting young art students to it on a regular basis is necessarily a great idea. The LAPD pamphlet reads, “Despite the rampant drug use, Skid Row is actually one of the safest areas in the city.” The term rampant, in combination with drug activity, should not be something we are willingly immersing ourselves into. And furthermore, what was the point of the small foreign town presentation. I personally was not able to draw any significant correlation between inner-city theatre, Skid Row, and goat herding. I would be interested to discuss all of this further, but not by means of an Internet post. I also feel like much of the thought process and tone becomes lost in the prose, rather than accentuated by the validity of a verbalized dialogue.

Danielle Korman, BFA3 Stage Manager