1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Previously on Winnian House. 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 2: For far too long, our criminal justice system has failed 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 2: our most vulnerable community members. It has disproportionately targeted Black, 4 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 2: Indigenous and LATINX communities, trapping them in a vicious cycle 5 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,760 Speaker 2: of poverty, trauma, and incarceration. Seventy four percent of those 6 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 2: arrested in Los Angeles County are Black. 7 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 3: And Latin X. Our jails are. 8 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 2: Overflown with individuals who are sick, who are poor, and 9 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 2: who are experiencing homelessness and struggling with mental health and 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 2: steps since use disorders. This is not justice, This is 11 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 2: a systemic failure. 12 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: South Central's Brightest East LA Committee Compton's Cavalry wants health 13 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: workers the heartbeats of the city because we are who 14 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: we say we are, and we are all that we 15 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: were ever meant to be. And there's nothing that they 16 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: could ever say, nothing. 17 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 3: That they could ever do to stop us. 18 00:00:51,520 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: Because when we start Welcome back to he In House. 19 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Theo Henderson. This week I stepped into 20 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: the field in a totally different direction, though the topic 21 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: is houselessness. I was invited to observe a form of 22 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: artistic expression on houselessness by Amanda Nicholson, one of the 23 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: artists and residents at Painted Brain in LA. The exhibit 24 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: was called in Fits You, and Amanda's pieces show various 25 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: fats as the houselessness. We will be taking you there, 26 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 1: but first on House News. This week's on House News, 27 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: it's taking place in Muggie, Washington, d C. In case 28 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: you missed it, we are experiencing heat waves around the country. 29 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: Our unhoused community needs cold water ice packs to avoid 30 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: heat related illnesses. With this in mind, I have been 31 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: asking officials the location of the cooling stations. Weeian House 32 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: conducted a survey to find out on Twitter on July ninth, 33 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four, I asked, does Mayor Muriel Bowser care 34 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: if the unhoused community dying in this heat wave? Ninety 35 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: two percent said no, the mayor does not care. An 36 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:29,919 Speaker 1: eight percent said yes. This prompted Mayor Bowser's staff one 37 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: day later to respond. They stated they have an interactive 38 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: map and information to free accessible transportation to a cooling station. 39 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,519 Speaker 1: The shelter has an emergency number which is two O 40 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: two three nine nine seven zero ninety three or call 41 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: three one one DC Gov. I did an informal outreach 42 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: on the story, and only one unhoused person out of 43 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: the people that I talked to knew that they had 44 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: a cooling station. Any of the unhoused community are not 45 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: plugged into an interactive map or have a phone or 46 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: it being charged. Los Angeles seemed to be chumping at 47 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: the bit and the light of the Supreme Court decision 48 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: on Grant's past ruling. The setting is in Little Tokyo. 49 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: On Monday, July seven, twenty twenty four, the Los Angeles 50 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: Police Department zeroed in on the unhoused community during a 51 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: heat wave, weaponizing the American Disability Act against the unhoused 52 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: community its nasty work to force evictions from the area. 53 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: When forty one eighteen was in effect, the city was 54 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: limited in how the city removed the unhoused community. With 55 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: the Grand Pass ruling, officials don't have to offer services 56 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: or shelter to remove the unhoused. In other parts of 57 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: the country, we land in Clackamas County, where commissioners proposed 58 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: a new coal to target unhouse RV and campers. These 59 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: vehicles are being called Nusance RV and campers under the 60 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: proposed code changes. If an RV or camper is being 61 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:16,799 Speaker 1: lived in. It impacts health and safety, and the people 62 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 1: have refused to leave despite prior notice or outreach efforts. 63 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: The Sheriff's office could get a warrant and use reasonable 64 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 1: force if necessary to remember whoever lives there and have 65 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: their vehicles told. In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed has 66 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: vowed more encamp misweeps against the unhoused community in light 67 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: of the Supreme Court decision on Grant's past ruling. Reed 68 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: and Nimbi's have been opposed to Martin Versus Boys's decision 69 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 1: on treating the unhoused community with empathy. They were part 70 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: of the cabal to sue against Martin Versus Boys. Finally, 71 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:00,159 Speaker 1: in Massachusetts, unhoused families are barred from sleeping overnight in 72 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 1: the Logan Airport. Emergency Director Scott Wright dated, families are 73 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:08,840 Speaker 1: arriving in Massachusetts must look elsewhere in the airport or 74 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: emergency shelters which are at capacity. Governor Mara Healey announced 75 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: new show to capacity for one hundred and forty unhoused 76 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: families and phasing out the airport is in the best 77 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 1: interests for the customers and families. 78 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 3: This is n houseless. 79 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,279 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with Artists in Residence Amanda Nicholson. 80 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Weedian House. I'm THEO Henderson. We take 81 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: you now to Painting Brain, where I spoke with Los 82 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: Angeles based artists and residence Amanda Nicholson. I was thrilled 83 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 1: to speak with her about her work, her processes, and 84 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: how the final product illustrated different aspects of being unhoused. 85 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: Like we always say on the show, are not a monolith, 86 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 1: and Amanda's work demonstrates that beautifully. Here's the first part 87 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 1: of our conversation. 88 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 4: All right, So there were six artists in total that 89 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 4: were part of this residency. Creatives in Residence are exhibits 90 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 4: called in c TU. The text on the floor and 91 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 4: along the walls is by Tyler Bradley. She's a spoken 92 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 4: word artist and a mixed media artist, and she has 93 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 4: another mixed media piece a little later on and in 94 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 4: the exhibit that we'll check out. Moving on, we have 95 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 4: two large prints by Tam tanganin close Friends, super helpful 96 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 4: to me throughout this process, and she has some mixed 97 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 4: media prints as well as a poetry book. 98 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 3: Please feel free to flip through and check it out. 99 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 3: They're broken piece and discarded scrap interesting. 100 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, and you'll see out of play between the different pieces. 101 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 4: So like broken pieces also end up showing up in 102 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 4: some of my works as well, so you'll see that 103 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 4: continuity with a couple of things throughout the space. By yes, 104 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 4: TAM's zine is on sale for ten bucks. 105 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 3: Okay, a little drop there and you're moving on. This 106 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 3: is my first piece. 107 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 4: It's called the Hardest Part and it's a use of 108 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 4: physical materials to represent the hardships and difficulties of housing insecurity. 109 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 4: It's a collaborative piece, so it includes myself as well 110 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 4: as you THEO you made it to the piece, harm 111 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 4: reduction advocate Max Flower, holistic health coach Yula Sledge, and 112 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 4: actually Tam, so there's a contribution from Tam in this 113 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 4: piece as well. There's eight materials in total, includes concrete, nails, 114 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 4: broken glass legos to represent a tableau of a sweep 115 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 4: encampment sweep, a narcan box surrounded with flowers, a pothos plant, 116 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 4: and a heart in a spam can some yeah, yeah, 117 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 4: and then some rubber duckies and so we can kind 118 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 4: of go through real quick. So for concrete, it really 119 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 4: is just about representing both the physical situation of being 120 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 4: on the street, of sitting on the sidewalk contemplating your life, 121 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 4: not understanding. 122 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 3: Exactly, and also anywhere you sit. 123 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 4: Even if we think about physical concrete seating in spaces, 124 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 4: you're shoot away from those places. You can't sit, you 125 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 4: can't lay, And so it was important for me to 126 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 4: grab concrete for this. I actually got it off of 127 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:55,559 Speaker 4: a side of a building that has since been demolished 128 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 4: in just the four months that I was in residency 129 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 4: in the South LA near my house. Then we have nails, 130 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,559 Speaker 4: and nails serve two purposes and the exhibit they're kind 131 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 4: of anchor pointing straight up, and that is to the 132 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 4: nails represent you know, kind of what holds benches together, 133 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 4: but it also represents anti home as architecture, which again yeah, 134 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:23,559 Speaker 4: which again prevents Burthol from being able to rest. This 135 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 4: is all on the first layer of this piece, which 136 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 4: has three shelves. The third piece is third contribution is 137 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 4: broken glass. 138 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 3: Or shattered glass that I actually found. 139 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 4: There's a lot of found materials throughout all of the work, 140 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 4: and I happen to find in the area some broken 141 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 4: like shelves in a refrigerator on the street, and so 142 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 4: I was like, yes, exactly what I needed and scooped 143 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 4: it up into a bag and it just it represents 144 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 4: broken dreams, the fragility of life. Even kind of we 145 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 4: think about touching glass, it's this, you know, something sharp, 146 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 4: you know it's hazardous, it's going to make you eat, 147 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 4: and that homelessness is really like bleeding you dry every 148 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:05,599 Speaker 4: day that you're going through it. 149 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: Thousand men, a thousand cuts, they pinpricks exact. 150 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 4: On the second shelf, we have a tableau of a 151 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 4: sweep with legos. 152 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 3: So there's some found legos. 153 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 4: I found them right outside the center, run over in 154 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 4: traffic and again was like that's it and grabbed them up. 155 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,719 Speaker 3: And at first it was just going to represent foundation, but. 156 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 4: You'll see in another piece within the exhibit I used 157 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 4: legos again. So as I was kind of assembling that piece, 158 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,199 Speaker 4: I was like, I have a sanitation looking kind of worker, 159 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 4: and I have a broom. It would be foolish to 160 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 4: not create this representation of a sweep using legos and 161 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 4: really the intention behind it. As well as miniatures like 162 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 4: miniature possessions, books, baskets, cups, pans, cereal kind of food, 163 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,559 Speaker 4: all kind of being swept aside and treated like trash, 164 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 4: and that's to represent that so many people are treated 165 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 4: like trash, literally discarded, their possessions, discarded because they have 166 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,839 Speaker 4: a physical or mental disability, and that being swept away 167 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 4: is something that is very painful and traumatic, not just 168 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 4: for the people experiencing it, but anybody who's a witness 169 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 4: to it, And six homeless people die a day here 170 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,559 Speaker 4: in La County, and it was really important that I 171 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:25,439 Speaker 4: was able to point that out in this piece. After that, 172 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 4: we have a box of Narcan, which is a collaboration 173 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 4: with harm reduction advocate Max Flower, and it's surrounded by flowers. 174 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 4: At the opening they were fresh, but now we found 175 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 4: some beautiful artificial who longs to take its place. And 176 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 4: it really speaks to the fact that when you're in 177 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 4: a society, you're being dehumanized. You're trying to figure out 178 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 4: how to manage you're dealing with emotional and physical pain. 179 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 4: You need some sort of care, right, you need medical care. Unfortunately, 180 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 4: when you're on housed, especially if you get swept and 181 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 4: you lose your insurance, your idea, it's very difficult to 182 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 4: access health care. 183 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 3: And so that's where. 184 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 4: Street medicine comes into play, and folks have to do 185 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 4: what they have to do to survive. It's not about 186 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 4: demonizing or kind of creating a hierarchy for substances, but 187 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 4: being honest about what conditions caused people to use substances 188 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 4: in the first place. And then on the third shelf, 189 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 4: we have a plant, which this is a collaborative piece 190 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 4: as well, or collaborative contribution from Tam tangan In, and 191 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 4: the plant really represents the sense of home. And Tam 192 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 4: remembers a time in her own life where she had 193 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 4: a house full of plants, and then she also went 194 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 4: through housing and security and became unhoused. And so when 195 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 4: she got a new pothos in her new space, she 196 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 4: called it Traveler and she ended up including an excerpt 197 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 4: from her poem in her book or in her zine Longing. 198 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 4: And then this is from longing for home. Home is 199 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,959 Speaker 4: the feeling of freedom to be comfortable in a space, 200 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 4: whether it be a city or a room, that moment 201 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 4: when you relax into it, that is when you are 202 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 4: finally free. Yeah. Yes, it was really important for me 203 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 4: to once I knew that Tam had this kind of 204 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 4: poem going into the z and I was like, that 205 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 4: really speaks to what I'm doing. 206 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 3: I need you to collabor with me on this. 207 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 4: The next one we have is you THEO and you're 208 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 4: and it's a it's you know, for the space that's provided. 209 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 4: I've used a pile of socks, but it represents laundry. 210 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 4: And this is to quote you. I'm disabled and was stabbed. 211 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 4: Everything you do requires stomach muscles. Also, Los Angeles has hills. 212 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:46,599 Speaker 4: Try doing laundry under those conditions. And what really excited 213 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 4: me about this particular contribution is in a piece called 214 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 4: the Hardest Part the Softest Thing. It sucks, you know 215 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 4: what I mean, Something so simple that easily taken for 216 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 4: granted becomes such a hard ship. 217 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 3: Yeah. 218 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: Absolutely. 219 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 4: And then the final contribution is from my mom, who's 220 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 4: a holistic health car and she she spoke to the 221 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 4: rubber duckies and what it says, this is a quote 222 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 4: from her. Basic amenities are not a luxury, a place 223 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 4: to bathe do laundry, a mailbox and storage for one's property. 224 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 4: It goes without saying, safe housing and food, a hot 225 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 4: bath where you can feel the water rising. 226 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 3: Up around your shoulders. 227 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 4: And so we've got two rubber duckies here to kind 228 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 4: of represent that luxury of hygiene, particularly in a bath 229 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 4: that really isn't a luxury. 230 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 3: People took baths long before they took showers. In fact, 231 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 3: all it bore. 232 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: So I want to take a quick moment to talk 233 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: about you are the activist of artists and residents. 234 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 3: Tell us a little bit about that. What was that 235 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 3: like and how did you get to be the artistan. 236 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 4: With just took a chance on applying because I saw 237 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 4: it in an Instagram ad and it it ended up 238 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 4: really working out in my favor. And it's exciting to 239 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 4: use my experience and what I've learned in my not 240 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 4: just my own lived experience, but in working mutual aid 241 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 4: with other people. Really the impact of homelessness in a 242 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 4: way that is not have happening in conversations. We're not 243 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 4: talking about impact through the lens of humanity, and that's 244 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 4: that really eats at me. So it was really cool 245 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 4: to have this opportunity to make some pieces, pull materials together, 246 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 4: be in spaces and be inspired by others. And there's 247 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 4: so many great artists in the residency, so that's why 248 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 4: I'm happy to talk about all their works too, because 249 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 4: we really contributed to each other's like inspiration and growth 250 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 4: through this. 251 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 3: So can you tell us a little bit about Painted Brain. Yeah. 252 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 4: So Painted Brain is a community center in mid c 253 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 4: although they may be moving kind of soon, and they 254 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 4: offer just open studio space to the community three days a. 255 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 3: Week so that they can make art. 256 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 4: There's workshops happening every day, but you're not required to participate, 257 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 4: and they offer residencies to kind of expand on having 258 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 4: an impact in the arts community. 259 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: Wow, that's impressive. How long is the activist artists and residence? 260 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 4: So the residency was about four months in total, and 261 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 4: it finished on May third, that's when we had our 262 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 4: opening and we'll be wrapping up next week. So our 263 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 4: exhibition will be or is open currently and has been 264 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 4: will be open in total about a month. 265 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: Because of this is so impactful and it shouldn't die all. 266 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: Would you create a moving kind of artists kind of thing, 267 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: more kind of mobile kind of. 268 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 3: Thing, particularly for this piece. The hardest part. 269 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 4: What I envisioned for it in the beginning was a 270 00:16:56,480 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 4: public art installation. And I'm very inspired by Alison Tsar 271 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 4: because she's done public art both in New York or 272 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 4: I'm from and here in LA and I've really seen 273 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 4: the impact of her public art, particularly in black and 274 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:14,400 Speaker 4: brown neighborhoods. And I really want to in the end 275 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 4: see the hardest part on the street. No one has 276 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 4: to have a special invitation. Doesn't matter what time of 277 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 4: day it is. You can be reminded of the hardships 278 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 4: of homelessness, not in a kind of easy to cast 279 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,959 Speaker 4: a sideway when we're witnessing actual human beings, but in 280 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 4: a way that makes you ponder the comforts or lack 281 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 4: of comfort in your own life. Oh well said, we 282 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 4: can kind of move into the next space. 283 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 3: And then peace. Okay, okay, let's see real quick before 284 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 3: we leave this room. 285 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,399 Speaker 4: I just want to highlight that we have eleven paintings 286 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:50,360 Speaker 4: on the wall, and thereby tr Son and they are 287 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 4: a rapper as well and a musician, and they created 288 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 4: at the opening this wearable machine in addition to these 289 00:17:56,880 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 4: beautiful paintings, and I want to draw attention to the 290 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 4: mushrooms in one of the pieces. And I remember from 291 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 4: TR's beautiful performance at the opening that each piece represents 292 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 4: a different light in the light spectrum, so you know, gamma, 293 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 4: UV X ray and things like that. 294 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 3: Impressive. All right, we can leave the way. Yes, he's 295 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 3: in the third room, and we'll actually go this way 296 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 3: around the space and then we'll come back to this sign. 297 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 5: Okay. 298 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 4: So first we have three paintings and a triptych and 299 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 4: that's by tays Net and Teya is an environmental focused artist. 300 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 4: It was very important for her to reflect the impact 301 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 4: of microplastics or connection to the earth in her pieces. 302 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 4: She has another piece that we'll reference and we'll check 303 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 4: out just a little bit later. And so each piece 304 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 4: has beautiful paintings as well as poetry, and it's speaking 305 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:56,920 Speaker 4: about everything from toxic rain, to microplastics to the connection 306 00:18:57,040 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 4: with the earth. So it really is eye opening when 307 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:03,600 Speaker 4: you step into the room. One is red, one is blue, 308 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:07,440 Speaker 4: and then one is green, and they're each kind of showing. 309 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 3: Their own little vignette or concept. 310 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 4: So after that we have this is Tonka Land by 311 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 4: Ezekiel Goodwin. And of all the artists, Ezekiel set forth 312 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 4: this intention to really represent each person in the residency 313 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 4: because he had the opportunity to meet everyone in both 314 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 4: quick cohorts, so he really wanted to reflect that in 315 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:33,399 Speaker 4: his piece. 316 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 3: And so we have this beautiful mural of a woman. 317 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 4: She has indigenous directions like in coloring as her jewelry, 318 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:43,399 Speaker 4: and she's holding a book. 319 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 3: And her shirt is blue. 320 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 4: She's got this beautiful kind of like orange and shades 321 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:54,120 Speaker 4: of orange kind of sunset or moon behind her, expends 322 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,880 Speaker 4: on what you kind of receive it as as well 323 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 4: as these beautiful white flowers around her. 324 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 3: And she's holding a book. 325 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:05,399 Speaker 4: And the book that she's holding in the metaphorical represents Tyler, 326 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 4: who we spoke about earlier, and also represents this woman 327 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 4: or this image, this person learning about Tonga Land, learning 328 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 4: about her own indigenous connection to the land and her people. 329 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 4: And so her hands are actually cosmic, which Ezekiel had 330 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 4: shared with some folks, was partially inspired by me and 331 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 4: was really spoke to this idea of getting in alignment 332 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 4: with the universe, having a spiritual connection, and spirituality will 333 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,640 Speaker 4: actually show up more in this room as we move 334 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 4: through the space. And then she also has this kind 335 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 4: of like cosmic starry imagery also coming from her scout 336 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 4: to represent the consciousness really integrating into her own line. Yeah, 337 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:53,159 Speaker 4: as she's reading, and so around the mural it has 338 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 4: a shelf with some books that say this is Tonga Land. 339 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 4: I can actually tell you what the four books are. 340 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 4: The first book is The Serpent and the Rainbow by 341 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 4: Wade Davis. 342 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:06,159 Speaker 3: The second is nineteen eighty. 343 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,199 Speaker 5: Four by George Orwell, which work on a living in 344 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 5: the third is The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King, 345 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 5: and the fourth is The Wretched of the Earth by 346 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:21,400 Speaker 5: France Fannin, which is actually on my reading list. 347 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 3: For the year. 348 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,720 Speaker 4: And then it also has plants around it. At the opening, 349 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 4: Ezekiel had indigenous followers as well as seeds of indigenous 350 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 4: plants for folks to take home. 351 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 3: So I actually have some of Ezekiel's peace at my house. 352 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,200 Speaker 4: And there's also a mushroom, which I pointed that out 353 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 4: in TR's piece, and you'll continue to what we talk 354 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 4: about mushrooms more so, moving on to this wall, the 355 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 4: last piece. This is also by Teya who did the triptych, 356 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 4: and this is actually a mysolium network and it represents 357 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 4: the mushroom network underground and the root system of trees and 358 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 4: how that's actually how trees are able to communicate. And 359 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 4: this was an interactive piece where you could actually attach 360 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 4: your own kind of message and share what grounds you, 361 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 4: what person places her thing grounds you or makes you 362 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 4: feel love. It's like a black or darker background with 363 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 4: beautiful light gray my ciliums, wiggles and squiggles and dots 364 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:16,360 Speaker 4: all throughout. 365 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 1: When we come back, Amanda and I continue this discussion. 366 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,399 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Weedian House where I'm in the field 367 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:34,679 Speaker 1: at Painted Brain in LA. Thank you for continuing our 368 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 1: artistic exploration and the mind of artists and residence Amanda Nicholson. 369 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 1: Here's the rest of our talk as she guided me 370 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: through the exhibit and her work. 371 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:49,879 Speaker 4: All right, we're going to get into one of my pieces. 372 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 4: This is called Rules of Policies and Procedures, and. 373 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:55,959 Speaker 3: This is printed on metal. 374 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 4: I had the opportunity to make this medal, so I'm 375 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 4: very excited and I'm happy to read it to y'all. 376 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:07,640 Speaker 4: So the first says mission and in quotes Policies and Procedures. One, 377 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 4: we are saving you from the outside world. You're welcome. Two, 378 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 4: we profit from your crisis. Please remain in crisis. 379 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 3: Three. 380 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 4: Good people don't go to poverty prison. You must be 381 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 4: lazy or use drugs. Four people who use drugs deserve 382 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 4: the absolute worst. 383 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 3: And we are proud to give it to them. 384 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 4: Five Celebrities donate to the nonprofit Industrial Complex and for 385 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:33,120 Speaker 4: Caring about you bums. 386 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 3: They deserve lower taxes. Six. 387 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 4: If a security guard is harassing you, find a new 388 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 4: place to live. That's how you solve that. 389 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 3: Number. 390 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 4: Seven temporary overnight rain shelter schedule. Sign up four pm, confirm, 391 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:53,360 Speaker 4: check in, seven pm, curfew, nine pm, exit four am 392 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 4: back into the rain. 393 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 3: You are escaping. 394 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 4: And that is a reference to the policy at Father 395 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 4: Joe's in San Diego, where they really do put people 396 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 4: back out in the rate do ith, Yeah, Father Joes 397 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 4: put me through the ringer. Eight we have no services 398 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 4: for people with disabilities. Our security costs are too high. 399 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 4: Nine we have no hot water or toilet paper. Our 400 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:21,640 Speaker 4: security costs are too high. Ten we seek to break 401 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 4: your spirit so that you may be mentally trapped here, period, forever. 402 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 3: Period. That's the first sign. 403 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:32,680 Speaker 4: The second reads grand in quotes hotel rules number one. 404 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,440 Speaker 4: Please remove your humanity and place it in the bin 405 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,720 Speaker 4: to the left. You no longer need it here. Two 406 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:42,360 Speaker 4: are the part You are a participant of a program 407 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 4: in italics. Therefore, you are our property. We will throw 408 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 4: you out and away as we see fit, often in 409 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:53,439 Speaker 4: violation of the United Nations Human Right to adequate housing 410 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 4: and the guidelines for the implementation of the right to 411 00:24:56,520 --> 00:25:01,200 Speaker 4: adequate housing. Three you will eat, sleep, and wake as 412 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 4: we see fit. Failure to follow check ins and curfews 413 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 4: will lead to in parentheses, homelessness. 414 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 3: Four. 415 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 4: We will check you and check on you as we 416 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,479 Speaker 4: see fit. You left your privacy and dignity in the 417 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 4: bin at the door. Failure to allow us to violate 418 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:20,640 Speaker 4: you will lead to in parentheses homelessness. 419 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 3: Five. 420 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 4: We wipe our asses with your grievances. No one cares 421 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 4: about the bad things that happen to you. Feel free 422 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 4: to keep filing them. Six you will have a false 423 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 4: due process. If we kick you out, you can appeal, 424 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 4: but exits from the program will go through bureaucracy to 425 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 4: be overturned. Seven we will purposely mistreat you. You know 426 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 4: you were a bum with no life, bleeding the system 427 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 4: dry because you're too lazy to work when you arrived. 428 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 3: Eight. People like you need people like us. Nine. 429 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,160 Speaker 4: Staff may very well be living in the next program, 430 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 4: but here they are your overseer. 431 00:25:58,280 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 3: And ten. 432 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 4: Smoke in the areas with the no smoking signs doesn't 433 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 4: make sense. Cognitive dissonance is your life. Your life doesn't 434 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 4: make sense. And for this piece, I really wanted to 435 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 4: use a lot of overt sarcasm, but also a lived experience, 436 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,320 Speaker 4: not just for myself but for other people of what 437 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 4: they've been exposed to, whether they've dealt with congregate shelters, 438 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:26,400 Speaker 4: bridge homes, interim housing programs, savior kind of complex programs, 439 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 4: recovery programs. No matter what the options are when it 440 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 4: comes to housing, you are almost always guaranteed that you 441 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 4: will be limited in your ability. 442 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 3: To live as a free adult. 443 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 4: And we'll see that show up again in another piece 444 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 4: in a little bit after that. We have when life 445 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 4: gives you lemons. This is an installation piece, So it's 446 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:56,120 Speaker 4: a shopping cart, and that shopping cart includes vividly first 447 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 4: see a lot of lemons in different bags, but when 448 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 4: you start to look more closely at the piece, you 449 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,440 Speaker 4: realize that there's also other things. 450 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 3: Kind of going on. 451 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 4: So, yeah, there's two suitcases. There's a suitcase, a luggage, 452 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 4: a book bag, and a purse. And in addition to 453 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 4: lemons being inside of them, there's a three day notice 454 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 4: to pay rent or move out. The plaintiff is landhorders 455 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 4: are us, and the defendants are the disabled, the poor, 456 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 4: and the underpaid. And so you see that eviction notice 457 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 4: sticking out, but you also see sprinkles of humanity. And 458 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:35,840 Speaker 4: it was really important for me in this piece to 459 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 4: show that, you know, it's easy to see someone pushing 460 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 4: a shopping cart and write off what may be inside, 461 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:43,360 Speaker 4: or see someone on the sidewalk, and. 462 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:46,639 Speaker 3: This is your Yes, this is also me. This is 463 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 3: also me. 464 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 4: And so inside of the suitcases you see kind of 465 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:57,640 Speaker 4: socks coming out, but inside of the shopping cart overall 466 00:27:57,720 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 4: you see like a rose, a. 467 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:03,160 Speaker 3: Rain poncho, a razor, some toothpasted. 468 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:06,439 Speaker 4: And some body wash kind of sticking out of different 469 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 4: pieces of the one of the suitcases in the book 470 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,920 Speaker 4: bag where the purse is kind of nestled inside of 471 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:16,320 Speaker 4: and we can get closer a bit, I can see 472 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 4: what's on the other side. It's important for me to 473 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 4: have personal materials like a toothbrush, a headband. Even there's 474 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:27,359 Speaker 4: an old shoe, a shoe from my cut off the 475 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 4: list collection and attached to the bottom of the shoe, 476 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:33,159 Speaker 4: it has a quote from C. S. Lewis that says, 477 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 4: you can't go back and change the beginning, but you 478 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:37,440 Speaker 4: can start where you are. 479 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 3: And change the end. 480 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 4: On one of the suitcases, it says inside all of 481 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 4: us is a wild thing. Inside the other side of 482 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 4: the book bag it says, some days you have to 483 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 4: create your own sunshine. And on the other side of 484 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 4: the book bag is a sticker which has like a 485 00:28:54,680 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 4: graphic novel style woman crying as well as a cannabis nugget. 486 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 3: And it says, hello, hot box, I need the dank. 487 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 4: We also have a living spider who has been a 488 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,120 Speaker 4: part of this piece since the beginning, which was not planned, 489 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 4: but it has tons of cobwebs and spider webs all 490 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 4: over it, so it gives it a kind of old 491 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 4: thing gone through the ringer kind of feel. It also 492 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 4: has a torn up blanket which was a many pieces. 493 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 4: Many parts of this piece were contributions from Tam, and 494 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:29,840 Speaker 4: Tam was really helpful to me in this And also ironically, 495 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 4: this is a real shopping cart that an unhoused person 496 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 4: actually gave us. It was their shopping cart and we 497 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 4: asked them could we have it, and they said yes. 498 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:41,000 Speaker 4: So it has an advertisement for a real estate company, 499 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 4: which was not planned but it was very serendipitous. And 500 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 4: then below the shopping cart on like the lower level 501 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 4: by the wheels, we have the representation of spilled lemonade 502 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 4: with a picture and some I used wax for this, 503 00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 4: and in the beginning it could really smell it because 504 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 4: it's lemon grass wax, and it's kind of coming out 505 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 4: of the picture and tripping onto the wheel and forms 506 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 4: a puddle around the cart a little, some of the 507 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 4: wheels at the front of the cart. And at the 508 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 4: opening this piece also had live lemons, and then like 509 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 4: fresh limons, it was bright and beautiful smelling. 510 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 3: This piece is called Consumed by Tyler. 511 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 4: And this is like a collage with lots of text 512 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,760 Speaker 4: on top, and then a poem within the text. 513 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 3: And I can't read it all. 514 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 4: But I can't read the poem, which says, how much 515 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,240 Speaker 4: white do I need to wash out of my system 516 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 4: in order to love myself? How many white proclamations do 517 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 4: I need to evaporate from my mind so I can 518 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 4: feel like I'm enough? Like white out, this white world 519 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:51,280 Speaker 4: washes and wilts over my brown, black brilliance. Like white out, 520 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:55,640 Speaker 4: this white world has bleached my radiance, every inch of 521 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:59,200 Speaker 4: my hue like thick glue. It sits and sticks and 522 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 4: spits on my existence, my mind, my being. Like white out, 523 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 4: the white world exists on every desk, every store, every home, 524 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 4: every school, every book, everywhere. White is there, whether you 525 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 4: can see it, feel it, hear it, smell it. How 526 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 4: many times have I nursed the white wolf in order 527 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:23,360 Speaker 4: to survive? How many tears have I concealed? Laughs, I've 528 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 4: faked words, I've ignored to fit a wasteland for anyone 529 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 4: who doesn't conform. 530 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:32,240 Speaker 3: How do I wash white out in a white world? 531 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 3: How do I drown out. 532 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 4: The white noise, erase the white board? How do I 533 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 4: find myself in a world that wasn't made for me? 534 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:44,120 Speaker 4: How do I keep myself from being consumed? How much 535 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:47,480 Speaker 4: white have you consumed? And so just as some examples, 536 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 4: it says like white symphonies, white jazz, white Santa Claus, 537 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 4: white mother Earth, white neighborhood, white therapists, and has all 538 00:31:55,120 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 4: these kind of different spaces where white supremacy culture is alive, 539 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 4: and well, you know, and it really actually made me 540 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:08,840 Speaker 4: excited that Tyler's piece was between the shopping cart and 541 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:11,479 Speaker 4: what we're about to get into, which is called poverty prison. 542 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 3: And so this piece is. 543 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:20,840 Speaker 4: A tableau set up with Legos miniature branded miniatures. 544 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 3: This is me branded miniatures, palm trees. 545 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:30,959 Speaker 4: And there's like ultimately three scenes happening at once, so 546 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 4: kind of on the table outside of the poverty prison 547 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 4: physical space, we have some palm trees, and we have 548 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 4: food kind of scattered about, toys, we have books, we 549 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 4: have hot sauce, we have some we have some miniatures 550 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 4: that mostly representing police or like staffing of what would 551 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:57,200 Speaker 4: be this poverty prison. 552 00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 3: We have a. 553 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 4: Mine that looks like an artist that I decided to 554 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 4: be the starving artist of this exhibit. We also have 555 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 4: a shopping cart on its side, kind of playing back 556 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:10,960 Speaker 4: into the previous piece. The shopping cart, as well as 557 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:13,600 Speaker 4: more miniature food inside. And these are branded things like 558 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 4: Twinkies and Hormale, chili and Jello. 559 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 3: And it was intentional for me. 560 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 4: To actually put which as I found these materials, I 561 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 4: was graciously kind of lended them by a staff member here. 562 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:33,240 Speaker 3: Some of them are very on purpose, like the dumb Dumbs. 563 00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 4: I wanted that to be very close to folks, so 564 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:37,200 Speaker 4: that's like one of the first things that they're seeing, 565 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:42,720 Speaker 4: like the nut thins, Almond Breeze or Almond Joy, whatever 566 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 4: the name of the brand is. This piece is completely 567 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:49,800 Speaker 4: filled with tons of little like things for folks to 568 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 4: find as they look about the piece, it's an I 569 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:56,160 Speaker 4: spy and there's some doughnuts next to cops. And then 570 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 4: when you go kind of look more inside of the 571 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:01,560 Speaker 4: hotel room. So I created this with a shoe box. 572 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:06,280 Speaker 4: I was able to find some recycled carpeting, which I 573 00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:08,880 Speaker 4: further mild dude, and it looks terrible. We three D 574 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,680 Speaker 4: printed some things like the bed, the chair, the desk, 575 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 4: the sink, and the toilet. The toilet like has wet 576 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:19,200 Speaker 4: wipes on top of it, added some tiles to the 577 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:22,239 Speaker 4: floor and in the poverty prison room. It was very 578 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 4: important for me that I really humanized the people in 579 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:29,720 Speaker 4: the space. So it has some subway kind of soup 580 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,960 Speaker 4: and a subway soda. It has markers and a book, 581 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:37,000 Speaker 4: and it has a canvas and a brush and a 582 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:39,200 Speaker 4: completed painting that looks quite beautiful. 583 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:40,800 Speaker 3: It has a music record. 584 00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 4: It has a San Judas Todeo candle which I actually 585 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:50,840 Speaker 4: custom made myself. And it represents being in places for 586 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:54,399 Speaker 4: example like Project Room Key which was operating in Los 587 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 4: Angeles during the pandemic, or inside Saye, for just any 588 00:34:57,239 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 4: sort of interim housing program where maybe you're not congregate 589 00:35:00,760 --> 00:35:03,920 Speaker 4: space but you are definitely very limited, which if I 590 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:08,240 Speaker 4: hadn't mentioned, the artist in the piece is being physically 591 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:11,960 Speaker 4: attacked and like hit by one of the police. 592 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:14,439 Speaker 3: And then on the top level of. 593 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:19,640 Speaker 4: The hotel is a completely different scene where I custom 594 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 4: made a rooftop and has a person, one person has security, 595 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 4: and one robot as security, and then it has six 596 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:31,680 Speaker 4: kind of you could say, elites celebrating on top. And 597 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:34,040 Speaker 4: so they've got a table of food, they've got their 598 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 4: own kind of palm trees, beautiful. 599 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:37,920 Speaker 3: Roses around them. 600 00:35:38,520 --> 00:35:41,439 Speaker 4: And this is one of the parts I tell people 601 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:43,800 Speaker 4: to have fun kind of looking for different little things 602 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 4: like the black man has white hands. The black man 603 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:49,719 Speaker 4: and the women have no cups at this table, even 604 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:52,400 Speaker 4: though all the white men have cups on the table 605 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,840 Speaker 4: with the food is sushi and some fast food, but 606 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 4: also a tropical drink. 607 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 3: And some like dumplings, and and. 608 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:04,320 Speaker 4: That's really juxtaposed against this more kind of quick fast food, 609 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 4: cheap food that's on the lower level and outside of 610 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 4: the poverty prison, so to speak. And they're on a 611 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:14,120 Speaker 4: gold rooftop platform that I created with some rhinestones. It 612 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:15,880 Speaker 4: was a lot of fun to put those rhinestones and 613 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 4: spell out the word rooftop. And the other thing I 614 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:21,080 Speaker 4: want to point out to you is that it actually 615 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 4: includes a little me. And my partner went out of 616 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 4: their way to find a lego that actually represented me 617 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 4: as a black woman kind of witnessing all of this 618 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:32,479 Speaker 4: and taking notes and. 619 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:36,120 Speaker 3: Reporting on what's going on. And you have made it 620 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:41,600 Speaker 3: to our final piece and it's also me and it's 621 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:42,520 Speaker 3: called the Joy Alter. 622 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,160 Speaker 4: It was very important to me to have the opportunity 623 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:50,279 Speaker 4: to represent joy, happiness, and positivity in this piece as 624 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:52,880 Speaker 4: well as like a spiritual aspect which is kind of 625 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:57,160 Speaker 4: mentioned briefly in the Candle in the Poverty Prison. But 626 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:00,720 Speaker 4: you know, even me personally, I was able to navigate 627 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,560 Speaker 4: the things that I went through and recover and survive 628 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:08,080 Speaker 4: because I never let go of my joy. I never 629 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:11,719 Speaker 4: lost sight of the sacredness of joy. And so the 630 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:15,080 Speaker 4: altar is, it's on a table. It has two milk crates, 631 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:18,040 Speaker 4: which I chose as a platform to show you can 632 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:20,680 Speaker 4: really make altar out of anything, can make a sacred 633 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:24,040 Speaker 4: space out of anything. The white cloth on the altar 634 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:27,360 Speaker 4: is actually a pillowcase, and then on top of the 635 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:30,480 Speaker 4: altar it has a mushroom crystal kind of references to 636 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:33,000 Speaker 4: other people's work, which was not at all intentional, but 637 00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:36,480 Speaker 4: really shows like the power of the work and how 638 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:39,479 Speaker 4: much what we were all doing really spoke to each other. 639 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:44,840 Speaker 4: So the altar has five affirmation cards. It also has 640 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:48,200 Speaker 4: five coins. There's two that are green, two that's purple, 641 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:52,960 Speaker 4: one that's gold. It has some crystals of various sizes. 642 00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:55,880 Speaker 4: It has some stickers that say things like dream big, 643 00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:59,280 Speaker 4: End the Stigma, which is a mental health reference sticker, 644 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:04,760 Speaker 4: revolutionist trauma informed kind of representation of like a potion 645 00:38:05,160 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 4: or a queer kind of. 646 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:08,879 Speaker 3: Concoction, as well. 647 00:38:08,560 --> 00:38:12,080 Speaker 4: As an apple, a large amethyst crystal, as well as 648 00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:16,080 Speaker 4: a keychain of free toa collo, some incense sticks which 649 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:18,799 Speaker 4: there's more incense on the table that the platform is 650 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:21,200 Speaker 4: built on, and there's also a white candle. 651 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 3: And it has flowers coming out at viewers. 652 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:28,280 Speaker 4: When they're first approaching the piece that are purple, white, yellow, 653 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:30,880 Speaker 4: and pink, and at the opening was fresh flowers. But 654 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:34,480 Speaker 4: again I was able to work artificial flower magic, and 655 00:38:35,239 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 4: it really represents creating sacred space with anything and knowing 656 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:43,600 Speaker 4: that just to quote one of these cards, your gifts matter, 657 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:48,000 Speaker 4: your story matters, and your dreams matter. And that is 658 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:50,120 Speaker 4: what I was able to really express with this word. 659 00:38:55,680 --> 00:38:58,880 Speaker 1: Thank you to Amanda Nicholson for inviting me to in 660 00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:03,840 Speaker 1: situ and for so thoughtfully discussing her commitments to reflecting 661 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:07,719 Speaker 1: experiences of the in house in her work. You can 662 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:11,399 Speaker 1: see more work from the Painted Brain on their instagram 663 00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:15,399 Speaker 1: at the Painted Brain. Please like and subscribe, and if 664 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:17,960 Speaker 1: you would like to share your story on whedian House, 665 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:21,239 Speaker 1: please reach out to me at widinhal dot com or 666 00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:25,400 Speaker 1: email me at whedianhousat gmail dot com. Thank you again 667 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:28,279 Speaker 1: for listening and may we again meet in the light 668 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:35,640 Speaker 1: of understanding. Whedian House is a production of iHeartRadio. It 669 00:39:35,719 --> 00:39:40,839 Speaker 1: is written, posted, and created by me Theo Henderson, our 670 00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:48,160 Speaker 1: producers Jbie Loftus, Kayley Fager, Katiefischal, and Lyra Smith. Our 671 00:39:48,280 --> 00:39:51,560 Speaker 1: editor is Adam Wand and our local art is also 672 00:39:51,640 --> 00:40:00,319 Speaker 1: by Katiefischal. Thanks for listening, Yeah,