Guide to Liberation
Posted by Mikey 1SOUL | Filed under 1SOUL, MVMT, Trust Your Struggle
This Project has evolved beyond my initial idea. In fact to be honest with you , it has taken on a life of its own. I started with just a little series of monotone designs and it has evolved into a interactive comunity based project with the goal of an actual publication. It has evolved into a series of videos that I could never had seen coming. For real folks, this is some kinda crazy to me. But I have been using this quote to describe THAT.
“I imply I began this ‘project’, let me amend that by saying the ‘project’ began itself out of its own need to be. I have acted as vehicle.” – adapted from Floyd B. Barbour introduction to “The Black Power Revolt”
So a series of t-shirts has grown into quite possibly a year long community driven project. My hopes and aspirations are out of control on this one folks and not even the sky is the limit. Calling this project ‘provoking’ is an understatement.
http://www.vimeo.com/8427780“We won’t fight to save the present society….We are just going to work, in the way we see fit, and on goals we define, not for civil rights but for all our human rights.”
As American as Apple Pie
Posted by Mikey 1SOUL | Filed under Trust Your Struggle
So I finally posted up the piece I did for the Trust Your Struggle Black Art show in San Francisco last September. A lot of people really liked it. It just came down this past week. I think someone brought all four pieces so I’m waiting to hear back on that.
Apple Pie Series: A piece on the reflection of what it means to be American. The legacy we have left behind. No longer known Read the rest of this entry »
A Love Bizarre: the artist relationship
Posted by Mikey 1SOUL | Filed under MVMT, Trust Your Struggle
I’ve been involved in a lot of conversations lately about what exactly it means to date an “Artist”. I’ve had the chance to listen and witness alot of these types of relationships given all the talented people I surround myself with. I’ve been discovering that there are a few different types of “Artist Relationships” out there. This is my attempt to try and break this down. Now this is based on actual conversations with artists and the people who date them. If you have anything to submit to this, please do. As an artist myself I just wanted to shed some light on a very interesting subject that we all can relate to. Now these are not the only types of relationships, theres are more, I just felt like these were kinda the most interesting ones.
Sheila E. was right…We all want a love bizarre. Read the rest of this entry »
America Eats It’s Babies- Love you Michael
Posted by Mikey 1SOUL | Filed under 1SOUL, MVMT, Trust Your Struggle
AMERICA EATS IT’S BABIES
Four years ago, I designed this t-shirt that I didn’t really release or make a lot of, in fact I think I only made like 5 t-shirts with it. I kinda designed it to just to get it outta my system. I believe Michael was in a trail or something, It was June 2005. And it was in reaction to the media’s and the public’s BETRAYAL, not portrayal of this living legend.
“We wanted to consume this lil boy so much that we decided his childhood and innocence was collateral damage.”
I Heard Tupac actually use that term “America Eats its Babies” in an interview after one of his many court hearings. And it was relating to the artist and celebrities that we build up and support. It was always interesting how as soon as they show they are human and make mistakes just like everyone else, we eat them alive. Michael Jackson had never really known a normal life, and we stole his childhood away from him for our entertainment. We parented this man. We loved him from the moment he stepped on the Ed Sullivan Show and let him into our hearts. We chased him everywhere he went, did not let him sleep, did not let him play with his friends, did not let him enjoy his beautiful life. We wanted to consume this lil boy so much that we decided his childhood and innocence was collateral damage.
It perplexed me how people could turn their back on him as soon as rumors and alleged charges were brought up against him. For once he needed us more than we needed him. We failed him. All his antics, trials and tribulations were not products of him, they were products of us. We are responsible for the man that he became. We were his support system and easily pulled that plug too many times in his life. Michael Loved children because he wanted them to be children, something he couldn’t do. He wanted to live his childhood thru them.
We will never ever know the amount of depression, stress and anxiety we put this man thru.The world mourns for this man and I have no idea how the soundtrack to our lives will continue without him. Every aspect of my life can be put against a Michael Jackson song. He is my namesake, my parents named me after him, I was born to thriller.
We as a society have put so much emphasis on being perfect that at the slight evidence of our children’s mistakes, we scold and surround them with disappointment. Please let your children make mistakes. Please don’t turn your back on them ever. You have no idea how strong the look of betrayal and disappointment can devastate a life.
Michael is not dead, he lives on in each of us, in every dance move, on every dance floor, in every melody, and in every lover…
“Won’t you please let me back into your heart”
-Michael Jackson
“Love is stronger than death even though it can’t stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can’t separate people from love. It can’t take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.”
Opening 6.18.09: The Story of Right Hand, Left Hand
Posted by Mikey 1SOUL | Filed under 1SOUL, Fresthetic, MVMT, Trust Your Struggle
The Story of Right Hand, Left Hand: An Ode to “Do the Right Thing”
WAAAAAAAAAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP, UP YOU WAKE UP YOU WAKE UP YOU WAKE!!!!!
20 Years later, our social woes remain just as timely as this classic film from Spike Lee. This project is my attempt to bring light and discourse to the same issues that were at the foreground and background of this film and how the parallels and foshadows of a generation of “Love & Hate” has systematically had us battling for our communities and for the future of our colorful youth. Characters that have never died in our community like Buggin Out, Radio Raheem, Mookie, Smiley, Da Mayor, and Señor Love Daddy are given a more social comprhension to their symbolic meaning to us today.
Join us on June 18th for my first solo art exhibit which is also the Launch of a new MVMT and the most anticipated line from 1SOUL. A Soulcial art project.
-Michael Cordero aka Mikey the Conscious Hustler
