Just a poster from a YWCA event that went against the grain. We were supposed to address domestic violence, women’s rights, etc. I was contracted at the time and told to come “hard” and “confrontational” (as if I needed to be told that). Looking back, I should have come a lot “harder”, but it was my first go round with the art world above ground. All in all, I learned a lot and am thankful to have been included. I’m not sure where this piece is now, but I think the message got across pretty well.
The Message: Women are entitled to 1st and 2nd Amendment Rights, just as men are. In the “Hip-Hop” community, “Spitting” is synonymous with “Reciting Lyrics” or “Performing Spoken Word”. The gun and gunplay are also used as metaphors for your mouth, pen and lyrics. I address the serious issue of sexual assault and domestic violence, by using this piece to encourage women to embrace their rights and entitlement to The U.S. Constitution.
As a heterosexual male, I’m all too familiar with the ups and downs of the “dating world”. I’ve also experienced moments where it was one person’s word over the other. This is why encouraging the use of gun violence to combat sexual assault and domestic violence is very risky. No one wants to be shot and accused of rape just so that the other person can get off on self-defense, just as no one wants to be wrongfully accused of domestic violence and thus sent to prison.
I’ve made attempts to avoid explaining this piece, thinking it was redundant. There are a lot of things I would change, but one thing I would keep is the woman’s hand and the pistol along with the holster. That’s a shout out to Jim Steranko…
MAD STATIK 