The Charity Racket!

The portrait above was a mixed media call for entries, where the theme of the show was based around photographs of 3rd world children in Southeast Asia. I answered the call to artists without expecting to be accepted. I was told to pick a photo, and to paint it. I chose a nice bokeh image of a child on a dock, painted it black and white, for the mixed media part, I used crushed jelly beans. The opening reception was being held at this beautiful gallery.

I started mingling, and quickly realized, that I didn't fit in. They had italian Hors d'œuvre's and a harp player. A coat check. I was stuck by the keg talking to some guy about his 6 month Vacation, and traveling the world. I rarely get the opportunity to tell people where I have gone, people just assume I have never been outside the U.S. Likely because there are no photos of it on facebook... 

So I went to my studio space, found some good friends of mine, one was an ex-convict, whom quit his life as a "pisa" to take up drawing, painting, and art. I mentioned the event, and the steak Hors d'œuvre's we treked up the street. I was surprised, the people there didn't exactly make us feel welcome. I can only imagine a tattooed "pisa" wasn't exactly whom they were expecting. 

I thought that the entire event was comically ironic. Here we have a room full of world travelers, with really nice jobs, really nice cameras. Traveling across the earth to help people. My guess is that it is part of their residencies... In reality, they went across the earth to take pictures of starving children, THEN attempt to sell the pictures to their philabtropist friends. The saying "take a picture it last longer" is ever so true here. 

 My real question is this. 

From a purely artistic perspective, what was the need to recreate the portraiture onto canvas to begin with? Weather its painted or photographed shouldn't matter.

The problem is not the charity part, the problem is someone attempting to build an artistic career off of the real life suffering of people in less fortunate situations, children nonetheless. Then re-creating an elitist environment, where, legitimate people in need; aren't even invited.

 Apparently, Charity is the new product on the shelves.....

 Thank you,

Cedric C.