This photo describes a puzzle. It describes the life of someone who has themselves together, but probably not in terms of society's view of "together". This photo represents someone who is still regarded as challenged because their life is not the way it should "normally" be. This life seems distorted. The colors are natural, but the product is not refined. This photo represents the barrier that mentally challenged people often face. They have the picture put together how they can understand it, but we, society at large, may not understand it. So we can ignore it or pretend to understand it. It is our choice. But the mentally challenged have a choice as well. Maybe we are the challenged ones. It is challenging to depict this photo. It is a barrier in front of our mind that is difficult to smoothen. Just like the edges on top of the concrete fence. Why climb it when you can walk along it never knowing what is on the other side? If we took a peak on the other side it may be more clear to us. Then again, maybe it won't. For many people, this would not be a risk worth taking. But for many others, it is a way of life they face daily as they try to integrate into mainstream society. This is the figurative road to the vast cultures within Shalom Community Center. We cannot understand this.
This photo looks washed up. Kind of like this child in the red shirt. The knees are bent and the back is hunched like an old man. He looks like he is going off of the road. The grayness makes it seem like it is raining and the colors are washing away. There was another man further ahead. Where did he go? It doesn't matter because he was really old anyway. Is this what giving up looks like? The child seemed to grow old so fast. Nobody else in the picture is there to help continue the journey up the hill. This is a photo that depicts weakness. I see this figure as weak because it looks like he does not want to continue the battle. But what is the battle? To me, the battle is being fought by those who are physically handicapped. They may appear to be able-bodied at first and then if something happens, we can assume they need help. But is it our responsibility? We did not "cause" the situation. We only saw the effects of it. But we do nothing. We do not know any better. So to the lawn of Shalom this man goes. Because, we cannot understand him.
Night has arrived and the sky is dark. This child is out past curfew and looks like they are running away! It appears as though an authority figure shines their light at the child, but the child ignores it. The road and barrier seems to fade in the distance. The child is almost free. But they are still being followed. That red backpack sticks out like a sore thumb. The child will get caught and sent to juvenile detention. What a bad child this must be. His parents must be upset. This is a photo that shows the issue of a child just beginning their journey to success. But the road ahead will prove to be challenging. Society's roles were meant for adults, not children. So this child may be returned to an environment that is not sound for them. But it is sound for us, the mainstream society. If the child is lucky, they will see the door to the family room at Shalom. It is to the left, right off of Walnut Avenue. But many people cannot see it because they just drive by. Understanding the safety of children is difficult for many if they are not related. So our society neglect's them.
A simple sunset. The barriers seem to blend in with the sky in a way that shows some kind of hope. The red and orange hues show an element of calmness and warmth that does not fit with any type of adversity. We can see that there is an older figure up ahead on the road. Well, I assume they are older anyway. But the exact relationship to this child is unknown. But in this manipulation, I kept the older figure. It represents the disconnect between the older and younger generations. Yet, they appear to be heading in the same direction. There must be a common goal in between them. But if this was the road of life, why is the child so far ahead? Or is the old man that far behind? This photo represents the mindset that much of society has towards the elderly and the young. They both seem to posses infantile traits. It seems like the most powerful are the "middle-aged". They may have experienced barriers when they were younger, but now, there are fewer. As they age, there will be more. But the barriers of yesteryear will be forgotten. We can understand barriers to our own age. But every situation is unique. If we cannot live within the barriers of each age-group at the same time, then why should we care for any group other than our own? It seems hard to understand.
This looks triumphant! The child looks so big! So grown! The barriers seem to be split and the path should open soon. The child...no, the young adult is able-bodied, strong, and can now fend for themselves. It seems clear now. This newfound energy should be taken advantage of. This figure should go to school, become successful, do great things. The time is now. The old fart up ahead chose not to do anything and he is going downhill. So do something with yourself. All this person needs is an I.D., birth certificate, money, and a home. But this was all left behind, downhill, in the past. Society does not see this though. So we blame the figure. There is no excuse why this young adult should fail. But what if we have failed this young adult. This concrete barrier seems to be splitting. But maybe this figure knows better. He knows that it is splitting but will probably not be split anytime soon. It is just a big tease just like many bureaucratic processes. But we do not have to deal with those barriers. So we do not care to understand.
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There are many barriers in our society. They can be as high as the concrete wall or as long as the road or as small as these figures. But they can be overcome. We just have to know about them in the first place. It takes manipulation of the barriers to understand them. But our society does not do that. Instead, we manipulate the "others" in community--such as the guests at Shalom--to conform to the barriers society sets up. And when we do that, we then assume that the barriers are actually the "others" instead of the structure of society. These pictures represent just a fraction of the ways we can manipulate barriers.
Original Photo
