The Paint Jamaica Excursions; Signs and Symbols in the Inner Cities

Today was the first painting session of the Paint Jamaica project. One of many excursions undertaken by the paint Jamaica team, each one revealing a wealth of enlightenment about the ghettos of Jamaica and perhaps by extension of the world. This place revealed itself to be nothing like the common conception of it, and this reveals literal barriers separating it from the rest of society. Not only has this place been misconceived by the wider society, it has been barred off even in terms of information flow. Most people that do not live in the ghetto haven’t  really been there, a stretch, I know. But the point is, the people who are ignorant of the complex working is Kingston’s Inner cities, have never and may never go there, and that’s the truth. Why would they anyway? The information readily available to them about these settings  describe a hostile, and highly unsafe environment, first and foremost. This place houses many interesting secrets, things that would perhaps be of no interest to regular person. But to a shaman…

There is always much more…

Don’t be too shocked…

Interesting to say the least…

These pieces were found on site at the warehouse in southside, downtown Kingston, where Paint Jamaica’s first initiative is to take place. We can discuss, what our opinions of these symbols mean or what the contributor’s aims and meanings are. We really could and it would perhaps be interesting, for two minutes, or, we could talk about the real stuff. These so called esoteric schools of thought may no longer be esoteric, its right there in the ghetto. The people aren’t fooled about these things anymore, the discussion is happening, quietly as it may be. Where there may have been a Rasta man or two on a corner in these slums dropping gems about life and the universe around us, there is now also the internet. There is no going back now, information is out there and it is changing everything, slowly and perhaps too quietly to be noticed. Call it foresight, sensationalism, intuition, whatever. Facts are facts though.

The fact is these inner city youths are clever and quick, they have very reactive minds because of the constant conflicts that are features of their lives. Give these kids a few years, who knows what they’ll be capable of. Better yet, give them something positive to churn with their minds. Some real knowledge. In the same way most of our interviews of the community members collectively ring of a concern for the youth. The adults easily speak of these gifted kids’ potential, it’s quite apparent actually, these kids are brilliant, extremely divergent in thought. The sole cry of the older generation remain opportunities for the youth to explore their potentials, and enjoy their youth, undisturbed by storms of gunshots and death. When they spoke, these adults, I could see trauma in their eyes as they tried to refer to the problem of violence, only managing to say something as vague and ominous “when di war start” or “when tings get hot”. No one even wanted to get into any real detail, and that in itself revealed that there were real details, traumatizing details. One can only guess what these people have seen, heard and felt that has changed them so much, that perhaps their very DNA is irrevocably altered. In the same way man’s state has transformed over time in response to the features of his environment. Yes, these excursions reveal alot, consistently, and this was only the first official day.

 

The gifted children at work, making their marks, their own hieroglyphs perhaps.

 

 

Big up Motza di area leader governing things.

 

So far the project has secured four sponsors and has been working in tandem with other entities with like goals and ideals to secure a very impressive momentum. Things are looking very good, the potential of this project continues to surprise and amaze me. My documentation will continue to span over the length of this project, it fascinates me to no end.

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