A Tale of Two Guerrilla Poster Campaigns in Bed Stuy

The first poster campaign hit my Bed Stuy neighborhood several weeks ago. With a solitary black and white image on white office paper and the emboldened word "VOTE," it conveys a clear message. Vote for the anti-Iraq War, transparent government, and inspirational candidate. The other set of posters hit Marcy Avenue in the past day or so. They are also on plain office paper, but their images are not simple. They complicate and question. They are the anti-directive directive. While both poster campaigns employ a lo-fi aesthetic, "VOTE" leads the viewer to a straightforward decision. The two "Change" posters, however, add noise to this decision through its smart use of the collage form. They fill space with presidential candidates as puppets mouthing off "Change" on a national stage, curtains open for the world (and Bed Stuy) to see. "What will change in Bed Stuy?" one poster asks. Since these posters appeared after the "VOTE" posters, it's pretty safe to say that the "Change" creators don't believe voting will change anything.

There is much truth to the "Change" posters. Bed Stuy has had Black representation on the city, state, and federal level for years and still has one of the highest economic disparities in New York City. To vote for Barack Obama and invest in hope for local change, the “Change” creators would argue is void of any historical evidence. In an election where the campaigns are raising record sums of donations, the gloss-less and on-the-cheap presentation of ideas of the “Change” posters is not only David vs. Goliath admirable, it is also effective and, well, democratic. Then again, the "VOTE" poster is gloss-less too. The image on "VOTE" is smiling and, yes, even hopeful. It is also an image that gives an action step: Vote. Yes, "Change" pushes one to question, but it seems more concerned with the process of questioning than anything else. It's when I see that sunny face (or perhaps Giuliani's sinister laugh or Clinton's calculated move) that I consider the false choice between which these posters have presented Bed Stuy.

ain't no party like a restless party, cause a restless party don't stop!

...SAY WHAT?

Restless Produxns, that oh-so-fabulous dj and promoter collective has returned! Over the weekend, Jules, Donna, Squeak, dj:ayden, DJ Ang and Andre, The threw down a lil' something something for a benefit after party for The Audre Lorde Project.

Below is a picture of the incomparable DJ Ang and me with my not-really-drunk-face on, ha! Stay tuned for RP's next summer moment. Ahem, see the marquee behind us, boo for leaving out squeak and ayden!


Apparently my camera and my mac are playing along with this drunken buffoonery and not allowing me to rotate the picture to it's non-loopside current state. Yay.

FILM: The Hip Hop Project

The Hip Hop Project
Screening at Magic Johnson Theatres, Harlem
Tuesday, May 8th @ 8pm
Must RSVP.

This is a *must* see if it already hasn't been saw'ed by you. I know it sounds madly hyped, but the film definitely pays off. Great story, great execution, great film. I saw a screening of it last fall and was blown away by the film and as if that wasn't enough a live performance by the youth themselves. WHAT?!?

Check out info on how to RSVP to the 5/8 screening here.