Reality

Description:	Saroyan, Aram (author)Brown, Tina (printer) Letterpress. Edition of 23.This collection supports and promotes awareness to the important mission and framework of the Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalitions focus on the lasting power of the written word and the arts in support of the free expression of ideas, the preservation of shared cultural spaces, and the importance of responding to attacks, both overt and subtle, on artists, writers, and academics working under oppressive regimes or in zones of conflict, despite the destruction of that literary/cultural content. When I was approached by the poems written for Al-Mutanabbi Street, I wanted to accompany it with imagery that is very optimistic because this is a very serious subject matter that deals with destruction, particularly the destruction of books. I choose to use a thin, white paper that when touched has a very delicate feel to it. I used two different shades of red to show subtle imagery. I also choose to create a more abstract composition to accompany with poem because I feel that the poem is trying to reach out to a destination beyond reality, a better place. One where people have more decisions and there is more options to be happy. I wanted to leave it up to the audience to be able to choose what they are actually looking at in my composition. They are then able to decide what they are looking at after taking a chance to read the poem. This way the audience can take the imagery to a more personal level where they feel comfortable with it. I believe that Al-Mutanabbi Street is a place to not be forgotten. I do not want this subject to be forgotten. My goal is to show that there is still good in this subject matter. I hope that I have accomplished this through my artwork.
Origin:	2009
Created By:	Saroyan, Aram; Brown, Tina
Contributor(s):	Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition
Publisher:	College for Creative Studies (Detroit, Michigan)
Source:	http://iuidigital.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/AMSSH/id/196
Collection:	Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition Collection
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Copyright:	In Copyright
Subjects:	broadsides letterpress printing art

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