Theme Notebook

Nov.30 Religious violence -Eboo Patel

Eboo Patel is someone who truly believes in democracy and diversity. He was the founder of the Interfaith Youth Core Organization. 15 or 16 years ago, Patel went into the gym to play some basketball. He saw 3 different games going on, a white game, a black game and an Asian game. He didn't know which game he should've joined, so he joined the white game. That made him stop learning Indian languages and Indian cooking. That cut off part of his identity. This also happens in school but the total opposite. There are different races playing all in the same game, white, black, Asians and more. You just ask to join and your in.

In Patel's 2 speeches, he said that 1990 was the decade of religious conflict. All of his heroes, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr, Mother Teresa and more, have faith. He noticed that many of the religious violence are from the young era (young people). Piet Mondrian's painting shows different colored blocks all together as one. I chose this painting because the blocks are like different races, the blocks are all different in color but all united. That is how I think the world should be, and how I would like the world to be.

Painting from: http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/show-list/artist/m/?search=Piet%20Mondrian

Nov.29 Grey ashes, people suffering - Picasso

Picasso's Guernica shows how war can be started in just on small city. This occured during the Spanish civil war in 1937 when General Franco burnt the village. The burning went on for 3 days, by then, 16 hundred people were killed and injured. Picasso painted Guernica because he wanted to bring attention to the bombing of the Basque town by the German bombers. This is like Fatmire Feka when she was young, there was fighting and war, dead bodies lying on the road. This also show that even something so small can make a big difference. It is like the video about mankind is no island. Even if you just smile or drop a coin for the beggar, it could make a big difference. Like in school, one of our teachers told a story about this boy who was pushed and fell in the mud, then another kid came up, smiled and helped him. That changed his whole life because on the weekend, he was going to commit suicide, but just a smile saved his life.

Guernica has a light bulb which is like fire, slowly burning the village and killing people. The light also looks like an eye shining down on the bombing, wanting people to know about this bombing. There is also an arm carrying a torch. That reminds me of the Prometheus painting by Fueger. It gives hope to people. I think the reason Picasso painted the painting black and white is because that is the color that represents depression, dull. It shows that no one in the picture is happy. The bodies on the ground show that the village is starting to fall apart. In the left corner, there is a woman carrying a baby and looking up. At the bottom, there is like a faded flower and a broken sword. I think the flower represents happiness in the village before the bombing, beauty in the village.
This painting of fire painted by Vitali Komarov shows that slowly, starting from the top, fire will start coming down and everything will get burnt. It is also like Prometheus bringing fire to mankind. From the top(heaven), fire is coming down to mankind. It slowly comes down for everyone and no one is left out.


Picture from:http://fineartamerica.com/featured/fire-colorful-painter-palette-exhausted-paint-and-abstract-painting-vitali-komarov.html

Nov.26 Hip Hop peace-ing to Burma

Thxa Soa is a music group from Burma that does hip hop music. When they perform on stage, barricades are needed to protect them from getting hurt by the audience when they run riot. In the article by the guardian, they wrote "everything in Burma is under controlled by the government", this music group is saying that Burma should be free of the government, everyone should have freedom. Thxa Soa believes they can express their ideas through music. They say their voices are important to Burma and he refuses to leave his country. The government has already banned most of Thxa Soa's songs but they still will keep on making music.
Thxa Soa relates to Aung San Suu Kyi because they both have the courage to stand up and speak for their country. Even though they have been punished, they still do it and to me, they are doing the right thing. They believe that their voice helps Burma.

The painting is by Kazimir Malevich. I chose this picture because the different colors represent the different ways you could do something. Thx Soa chose a way that no one would have expected. Music is a universal language, so they used music. Like the Burmese hip hop group used music to have their say on Burma. People would think it is a weird way to express their ideas but it worked. In school, we can use different ways to express our ideas, like by using art, webs, writting it down, there are so many different ways to express your ideas. Which idea do you prefer?

Painting from: http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/show-list/artist/m/?search=Kazimir%20Malevich


Nov12: FATMIRE"S JOURNEY FROM WAR TO PEACE 

 Fatmire Feka suffered through war during her time in Kosovo when she was young. Even though the war has passed, it had left a mark. During the war, she was only 11 years old. She was forced to leave her village and they moved into a dumpster. That was their only option. She said that god was crying tears of pain. Fatmire could hear screams, cries of people, she was very frightened. They were allowed to get on a bus and leave but for a price, $100 dollars. During the war, that was a lot of money. Her mother paid and they went on the bus. Her brother, sister and uncle went by a different way. That was the last day she saw her brother and sister. On the journey, she saw dead bodies on the  road, it was a terrible sight. They were caught on the bus and were sent back to the garbage dump. When they arrived, they realized everything had been stolen. Fatmire's mother went back to the village to get some chicken and clothes. Then, her uncle came and he was shot on his shoulder, he tried to run but he still got shot. He said he couldn't remember what had happened to her brother and sisters.
 In 2002, she made the Kids for Peace program, she said she doesn't want other kids to be suffering the same way she did. Till now, she still hasn't heard about or saw her siblings. She still doesn't know who took them away. She said that forgiveness takes time. 


It relates to Picasso's painting Guernica. I would say this because I think Picasso did that painting to show he wants peace and wars to stop. Which is exactly what Fatmire Feka was also doing. The painting by Kazimir Malevich is called "Morning in the village after snowstorm". I chose this painting because it shows what war can do to your village, sometimes even worse than that. Would you like your house to be like that? I don't think so. To me, she is a hero, what about to you?
Painting from: http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/show-list/artist/m/?search=Kazimir%20Malevich

October1st: Martin Luther King Jr

Picture from:http://www.ineedmotivation.com/blog/2008/05/20-great-quotes-from-martin-luther-king-jr/

Right now, everyone basically knows about Martin Luther King Jr. To me, he is considered as a hero. And I know that some of you may ask why. What I see as a hero is someone who tries their best to change the world, if they succeed then thats great, but if they fail, to me they are still considered a hero for trying their best. But of course, if they try but make things worse, then to me, they are not considered a hero. He gave a speech which is now famous, called I have a dream. You can see it, right here: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm 

Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta on January 1929. He was one of America's most influential civil rights activists. His passionate, but non violent protests, helped raise awareness of racial inequalities in America, leading to significant political change. You can read more on: http://www.biographyonline.net/politicians/american/martin-luther-king.html