Action Reaction
Leo N.
Clay and a mix of crystal glazes, underglazes, and colored slips.
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“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The words from Martin Luther King Junior’s Letter from Birmingham Prison I learned in my history class resonated with me for days. I began seeing just how potent oppression really is in my day-to-day life—how easy it is for a majority to corrupt a minority's joy and happiness. Inspired to represent my feelings of injustice into my work I impressed the face of a vase I was working on with my knuckle. Above the deep gouge I just created, I added eyes and a tongue with no specific imagery in my mind—I just was in the groove of creating. The face turned out pretty ugly. I molded it into a grotesque monster - the same monster that King wrote about: a majority oppressing minorities. To further illustrate the consequences of a majority’s oppression of minorities, I used color, geometric patterns, and physical extrusions.
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Creating is an organic branch of human connection. I have an instinctual urge to flesh my ideas outside of my mind and share it with others. Even in a community where everyone has similar interests, utilizing your unique voice can create a snowball effect of inspiration and awe.
