Collective Artwork in Response to Ismael "Q" Garcia-Vega
Knowing Q
by Judy Braha Q was a student in the BU Prison Education Program and graduated before his release. He took our class, Empowering Song, multiple times. Q traveled from extreme wariness at the start to engaged, passionate creativity. He grew exponentially as a spoken word poet, a mover, a collaborator, a creative and giving soul. |
|
|
Same Old Story
by Shishy Gebru |
Broken and forgotten
by Cheryl Freeze A short poem in response to Q's sermon. |
|
Natural vs. Synthetic
by Alyssa Jewell and Grace Wodarcyk
Q's experience in prison can be characterized by the harsh, inorganic (in)justice system contrasted with the hopefulness and organic nature of the Empowering Song class. This image explores the juxtaposition of the manmade (coins, clothespin, rubber band) with the natural (dirt, flower petals) in an attempt to visually represent Q's experience.
by Alyssa Jewell and Grace Wodarcyk
Q's experience in prison can be characterized by the harsh, inorganic (in)justice system contrasted with the hopefulness and organic nature of the Empowering Song class. This image explores the juxtaposition of the manmade (coins, clothespin, rubber band) with the natural (dirt, flower petals) in an attempt to visually represent Q's experience.
Prey to Predator
by Jimmy Rotondo A written response to Q's sermon and what it takes to survive in the world today. |
|
|
"?——!"
by Sunny-Moxin Chen This poem is in response to Q's sermon. |
I Am No Angel
by Grace Shaver, Sunny-Moxin Chen, and Tara Parazuelos After listening to the sermon we were collectively inspired by the humanity within the phrase I am no angel. This piece was an effort in visual animation, spoken word, and a soundscape. We took away the importance of the statement I am no angel, but I am human. |
|
Looking for My Voice
by M. Paul Gouveia
by M. Paul Gouveia
We are not society's trash
by Tara Palazuelos This poem is in response to Q's sermon. |
|
|
Not Evil Inside
by Daniela Perez-Retes and Rose Whitcomb It is often the case that those who are incarcerated are the ones who have been the most traumatized throughout their lives. While we were struck by Q’s painful past, we were inspired to see that he is "not evil inside" as perhaps so many people might think. In our art piece, we explored the journey that Q had to go through... becoming a predator so he would no longer be a victim, and then choosing to grow and become a better man on his own, even during his incarceration. We hope for our art to be a place of healing, where we can learn more about each other's stories and pain. We may not ever be able to fully understand someone's experiences, but listening will make us more loving and kind to each other, and it may certainly make us think twice before we judge someone who has had a difficult past. |