Where there is garbage, there is always poverty. A large part of the world – primarily in developing countries – continue to live in extreme poverty within huge global economies of waste.
I design products from waste and the production methods that include the poor. In waste reduction and social business, the more challenging aspect is to instill a sense of possibility and creative experimentation in this mix of artistry.”
Invisible Sisters is a project set up to help women in Manila who can’t work outside of the house earn an income. They crochet items from city refuse, bags, wires, computer parts. Seeing this creative reuse of trash is not only uplifting, it is also inspiring and providing us with another example of what we can do with this mountain of trash we’ve collected over time.
Even though we may not be able to see the heaps and heaps near our houses because they’re tucked far away in a landfill (out of sight out of mind), they’re there. And one day we will not just have the option, but will most likely be forced to deal with them. Why not start now?
The photo above changed my life. No, really. It was the beginning of my discovery of Riot Grrrl and DIY ethics. This picture made me realize that it was okay to be angry and confused and frustrated and loud as a teenage girl. It made me not feel so alone at 16 when I was angry at all the world’s problems and violence to women. Bikini Kill’sKathleen Hanna (the women in the photo above) had a scream that enveloped many of us in the early 90s.
Seeing these photos below made that 16 year old in me smile and wish nothing but happiness and strength to these women. I may not be wearing the same stomping shit-kicking boots and holding the same angst, but the part of me that knows what it’s like to be set free and not be scared to speak out feels like it’s just like 1991.
Ok, so technically it’s craftivism. FEMEN’s fighting back against the sex-trade industry. The sign above says “Ukraine is not a Brothel” and the bikinis below are not bikinis, they’re H1N1 masks sewn into bikinis as a statement against the H1N1 hysteria in their country. From their website:
WE ARE THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT:
*We unite young women basing on the principles of social awareness and activism, intellectual and cultural development.
*We recognise the European values of freedom, equality and comprehensive development of a person irrespective of the gender.
*We build up a national image of feminity, maternity and beauty based on the Euro-Atlantic Women’s Movements experience.
*We set up brand new standards of the civil movement in Ukraine.
*We have worked out our own unique form of a civil self-expression based on courage, creativity, efficiency and shock.
*We demonstrate that the civil movements can influence the public opinion and lobby the interests of a target group.
*We plan to become the biggest and the most influential feminist movement in Europe.
This Thursday come join me and Faythe Levine for a discussion on craftivism and a screening of her documentary, Handmade Nation!
Thursday, March 4, 3.30pm
Columbia College
600 S. Michigan Ave, Room 921
Also, if you read Portuguese or just want to see a weird photo of my creepy red bathroom, there’s an interview with me about craftivism in the current issue of Brazil’s Vida Simples magazine over here. Faythe is interviewed about Handmade Nation on the next page over, which you can see here!
I’m not sure how I’ve managed to entirely miss Holi, the Festival of Colors, until this evening. It is a welcoming of springtime by a number of Eastern religions, the “celebrated season of Love.” You can read more about various Holi celebrations here and read various legends surrounding its beginning here.
And seeing these photos makes me sad for everyone not choosing that wicked orange sweater they like because it will be “too bright” at the office or stuffing their hot pink tights in a drawer so as to not cause a commotion. Why don’t we celebrate? Why don’t we dive in and embrace hues that make our lives cheerier and more colorful more often?
These photos resonate deeply because they’re about open, honest, pure celebration. They make my feet tingle out of happiness. There’s a joy and a note of life that you rarely see captured. Today, as you’re wearing your khakis or perhaps whites, have a look online for photos from Holi today. And join in their celebration of colors, the bright, the bold and the awesome.
And don’t forget to take notice of how you (your mind, your eyes, your body) react to the photos, to their smiles and their tones. Chances are good, you’ll find yourself smiling back.
