Graffiti: A Graphic Statement

Graffiti Project: Cultural Blinding

Introduction
[Warning: the following videos are graphic.]

Elderly Hit-and-Run


Vicious Hammer Attack on Subway:



Bystander Apathy
In both of the above videos, there are two commons threads: violence and those around the incident doing nothing to help. I have always been mesmerized watching when something happens and the lengths that others will go to as to not get involved. Whether walking by, turning the other way, or simple not moving they are all nonintervention due to various reasons. On the ABC show "What Would You Do?", they stage various social situations and film peoples' reactions. Afterwards, they try and interview most to see what was going through their head at the moment - the reason for their action or non action.

The common term that revolves around this social phenomena is called bystander apathy. It is usually that when others are around, that individual action is less likely to occur. It is always shocking to hear of stories where someone is seriously injured or in need of help and people walk on by. It sounds so calloused yet is evidence of how often our own culture is willingly blinded, in essence, to the violence or problems around us. This cultural unhealthiness is sickening and the media exploits it. We need to turn to education in which this cultural blinding is no longer present and instead of people labeling a situation of 'dangerous', 'not my business', etc - action to help another will become instinct.

Stencil Translation
When I began to delve into this issue, a friend mentioned an image that really stuck with me. Blinders are placed onto horses to prevent them from being overwhelmed at the world around them. Their field of vision is heavily restricted. We have had blinders placed onto us through various means. The positive aspect is that these blinders are not permanent but are just tightly wrapped around our head and flipped out to the sides.

Working with this imagery, I used a middle aged man's face as the general face of the public. He has blinders placed on him with the straps hanging down. His eyes are strained as if trying to peek around the sides to witness something. The text that is placed on the right hand side reads: "remove & feel". This is written in command style in two simple actions. First, the removal of the blinders to uplift the restricted field of vision. Second, the concept of feeling what is witnessed. We should be able to see what we see and do something about it and not feel that helpless, awful feeling that is unnatural.
Installation/Demographic
I would choose to install this stencil in two different locations. The first would be where people quickly whisk past just to 'get through'. Examples include extreme low-income housing areas, homeless areas, drug dealing locales, etc. The second type of location would be an homage to a location where an extreme case (or any case for that matter) of bystander apathy occured. The two video examples would lead me to install them on the side of a subway and a huge chalk installation in the middle of a busy road.

I don't have a specific demographic because I feel like everyone, young and old, has fallen to this feeling of helplessness. I know that I've been in situations where my brain is frozen and my lack of action enables a huge wave of guilt in the after moments of the incident. If it speaks to someone, then my mission is accomplished. If not, then at least that person had the chance to see it.

Installation Pictures:
[Edit: the following images are digital simulation]




I hope to do an actual installation soon in the Chambana community.