Artistic Statement

I am a sociology major and I want to use media as an outlet to bring attention to the problems that are a constant source of threat to how we relate to other people. I remember when I first learned about sociology in a college setting and how unsettling it was for me to learn about the vested interest groups that play a role in maintaining the –isms, sexism, racism, etc. This was when I first began to develop a consciousness and the way I saw my world completely changed. Looking back, I feel naïve that I used to think of our society as picture perfect when this is not the case.

I believe we have a lot to learn from our daily interactions with people whom shape who we are. I am interested in expressing the issues that lurk in our social lives. These issues can be subtle such as microaggressions and may not be blatantly obvious. Microaggressions are social exchanges that occur when a person-- intentionally or unintentionally, belittles another person on the basis of their marginalized status. One encounter I witnessed at a coffee shop:

Barista: “Where are you from?”

Friend: “New Jersey.”

Barista: “No, where are your parents from?”

Friend: “New Jersey.”

Barista: “No, where are they actually from?”

Friend: “Like, what country are they from?”

Barista: “Yeah.”

Friend: “The Philippines.”

The barista had implied that because of the color of our skin, we were outsiders. Microaggressions, is just one societal issue that we have amongst others. By bringing these issues to the forefront through the use of media, I hope to provide a glimpse into the power structure of society—there are the haves and the have-nots and the haves want to ensure that inequality exists so the haves can maintain their privileged state. The power structure that is embedded in society divides us into groups and subgroups and creates a us vs. them mentality. Through my work in this class, I hope to show the subtle roles we play in maintaining the current structure of society. I want to express that in many instances we are both the oppressor and the oppressed and that none of us are truly free.