Mark Levy papers
Mark Levy papers
Specifically searching for a subject theme pertaining to protest or activism, I discovered a series of online digitized content documenting the Mark Levy papers. Held at the Queens College Special Collections and Archives, the images document a range of civil rights activities and events. But specifically, I was drawn to this one image showing Mrs Heidelberg sitting for a portrait.
Mark Levy volunteered for the Mississippi Freedom Summer project of 1964 as co-coordinator and teacher at the Meridian Freedom School in Lauderdale County. According to Mark, Mrs Heidelberg organized housing for the volunteers, as well organizing the community to provide food for the school. This information / record enables us to remember that not all contributions to the civil rights movement was exceptionally loud or was international headline news. The movement was reliant upon community contributions, infrastructure and support mechanisms. Simple acts such as providing food and shelter is easy to overlook, but critical to the success.
The image captures a quiet moment, a thought, it’s timeless, with a discreet American flag in the background (I did not notice until drawing). Hand crafted collage drawing duplicated and manipulated through digital technology, this process started to break my own boundaries as to different ways to construct images.
Countless individuals placed themselves at risk to secure civil rights in America c1963. The work though continues in 2021. New and imaginative forms of oppression are constantly emerging, it was made known to me by my collaborator Jaleesa PhD of an executive order produced by the Trump administration banning racial sensitivity training to federal contractors.
This art item collages the executive order with another photographic image from the Mark Levy papers. Again, it’s a simple line drawing, which has had the order imposed on top of it – creating this unusual composition. There are too many layers upon layers of thoughts I have concerning this art item. In summary, executive orders designed to give permission for racism, by NOT training, by NOT spreading good practice or knowledge is a barrier to equality.
This was an extremely unexpected art item I have created. Over the next month, I plan on expanding this theme, pushing the concept further so in summary more soon I promise.