A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

This past month, the Humanities Symposium sponsored an art exhibit in the Julio Fine Arts Gallery which was entitled, “Urban Voices”. The exhibit showcased local Baltimore photographers and artists. A side of Baltimore that I have never seen before was exposed after visiting the gallery. The photographers and artists wanted to portray the people of Baltimore, more importantly people of color, and tie in a relationship with the real world.

The first artist was Tony Shore who is a native of Baltimore. His pictures were on a felt canvas and were of family members as well as friends. Shore has strong ties to his community and his work represented that ideal. Shore had three pieces of art in the gallery. The first picture was a on large canvas and showed six individual. The people looked blue-collar and were engaging in smoking, talking and everyday activities. The second painting was of a man cooking in what appeared to be a cramped kitchen. The home and man looked to be of meager means. The third and final painting had the setting of a mechanic’s garage. There were two young men in the garage. This job may have been a way of survival for the two. All three portraits were not showing a glamorous lifestyle. Shore gave a blue-collar and more down-to-earth view of a natural Baltimore community.

Andre F. Chung is a photographer for the Baltimore Sun. Chung’s had an exhibit of 10 actual photographs. His message was that people of color have a place in the world. Chung also believed that poverty as well as color hinders a class and that society has negative views on this class. The 10 photographs showed everyday life for young adults. The first picture, which was the most moving picture in my opinion, showed a young black man crying at his graduation. The second picture was taken of another African American male accepting a diploma. The next two pictures were of a high school prom. The last five pictures were of the daily life of a selected group of African Americans. The last five pictures had an undertone of poverty throughout them.(In regard to clothing and housing in particular) I found Chung’s work inspiring and emotional. His pictures proved that people of color as well as people who are impoverished can accomplish anything.

The most eye-opening pictures came from Ellis Marsalis, III (t.p. luce). Marsalis is an independent photographer who captured the most urban aspects of Baltimore. She portrays the truth of culture in her pictures. All 13 pictures in her collection were taken in her neighborhood and were also all in black and white. Her whole display was focused around children and young adults. There were 3 pictures in particular which really caught my eye. “Manchild’s eyes on the prize” was taken of an African American male who was sitting on steps. Marsalis focused in on the man’s eyes, which were intensely fixed upon a gun. The picture was startling. The title adds that the prize, according to the male, is the gun. “In the shade of trees” was picture of a man who looked to be in a park. There was a tree in the background and the black male was in the front of the camera. Again, the man was clutching a gun and was looking right into the camera’s lens. This picture and its title could be interpreted as concealing a weapon under the secret shade. The third picture, “Black Shiny” was of three young African American girls. They were all innocently posing around a street light. This picture showed a lighter side to Marsalis work. The girls seemed to be proud of who they are and where they are from. Even though I only mentioned three pictures, Marsalis’ display did show a side of Baltimore that I have never experienced.

After reading Walt Whitman’s, From “I Sing the Body Electric”, I could see the theme of praising oneself. The speaker is showing the beauty of the human body, both male and female. The speaker goes on further to say “O I say now these are the soul,” (Whitman 36). The speaker views the individual parts that compose the human body to also be part of the human soul. Not only does the body parts make up the outside and physical structures of the body, but they complete the human on the inside. The pictures viewed in the gallery could also be tied into this theme. Chung and Marsalis were praising African American culture. Both photographers did not want an outside component, such as skin color, to take away from the true beauty of the human being. The color of one's skin can only strengthen the human soul and one's individuality.

“One’s-Self I Sing” is another poem by Walt Whitman. This poem is more subtle in praising individuality. The opening line, “One’s-Self I sing, a simple separate person,” (Whitman 1) shows that the speaker is praising his own rareness. The speaker is also talked about men and women being on an equal playing field. “The Female equally with the Male I sing,” (Whitman 6). The speaker is praising himself and the male physiology as a whole in the first few lines of the poem. In spite of this, he also wants to show that women are just as equal with independent ness. Individuality and self-praise were evident in this poem and also in the pictures. The picture of the male accepting his diploma and later on crying showed that his individuality made it possible to reach of goal of graduation. Barriers may have been set up along the way; however he was able to overcome them.

In the finally piece of literature, “Lush Life”, the audience is introduced to two musician named Billy Cox and Earl Ferguson. The two are members of an African American band. Separately, each man shows individuality with respect to his own instrument. Yet, as the story goes on, the audience realizes that the band is incomplete without each member’s input. The musicians have their own individuality, yet they bring their own uniqueness to make the band the best it can be. The band and its member is just a small, musical note on the big sheet of music known as society. This story, again, shows how strong individual ideals can be a bright light in dull society. Also, the pictures and painting can be related back to “Lush Life” because of the independent nature of the human spirit.

All three pieces of literature and the three artists can be related. They all relay how important it is to be yourself and praise the person you are. Furthermore, individuality can not only shape a person, but it can also help shape humanity. Individual members of society, no matter of race, religion, sex, or class all have a vital relationship to the world in which we live in today.