“I feel my work develops in evolution rather than revolution, and I'm grateful for that. That I never felt that I had to break this in order to move on. Usually, when I feel like, 'Oh wow, I'm onto something new,' I develop it further and then realize I was in that headspace ten years ago." Wolfgang Tillmans
A Moment with Jonny Negron
Reflecting on past pieces and this one always stands out. Thank you @jonnnynegronn for allowing me to witness your creative process and studio.
photos and words by me
Wow! @spaceonspacemagazine allowed me to showcase a very powerful image of mine, “Embrace”accompanying a conversation I took part in intersecting art, faith, and politics. While healing and the state of this country was at the center of this conversation, we discussed creating space, land occupation, conciliation, and forging a more just world, even if that sounds ludicrous in this day in age.
Events today highlight how white supremacy controls this system. This system is not broken, this was not a broken system when Indigenous folk were brutalized and murdered and it was not broken when that 17 yearold murderer was let go free of charges. This system was created and its been working pretty fucking well to preserve white supremacy for hundreds of years. I participated in a raw and honest conversation about history, history that is constantly erased. We discussed how do we persist even though moments like these make it feel impossible.
I truly dont know. All I know is that conversations, uncomfortable conversations is where change starts. On a micro scale, we can only do so much, but if most of us were united and on the same page, shit would be turned ontop of its head. We’re all more powerful than we believe.
I want to thank @spaceonspacemagazine founder Emily for allowing me to contribute and detail my mission in creating space for everyone and allowing for authentic stories to be heard. Please purchase a copy and read the array of beautiful content dissecting important issues while highlighting art from around the world. My concluding quote was by the one and only @janetmock.
“I believe that telling our stories, first to ourselves and then to one another and the world, is a revolutionary act. It is an act that can be met with hostility, exclusion, and violence. It can also lead to love, understanding, transcendence, and community. I hope that my being real with you will help empower you to step into who you are and encourage you to share yourself with those around you.”