Direct Message
Direct Message.teen art exhibition
Direct Message
Thas it, right there
That goin' be the name, direct message right there
Box that one, that's the name
Hashtag
Who like Direct Message? Raise yo hand!
How you goin' say it?
Black lives matter
Cuz look, we got a message, and it's gonna be direct
We sendin' a message to show how people can come together and work on a project and get it done
There we go, yeah!
It's a direct message to society of the misconception that they have on us young black minorities
Exhibition was on display at Madison's Central Library, May-August 2016. [SEE MAP]
- Daytime: larger than life power pose exhibit outside of the main entrance.
- Nighttime: shadow projection show on the outside of the 2nd Floor windows, above the main entrance.
- Listen to Faisal Abdu'Allah discuss the project on Madison's local WORT 8 O'CLOCK BUZZ.
Direct Message was an exhibit created by teens through Madison Public Library's Bubbler program, which tapped community resources to foster this 15-week project in hands-on, peer-supported learning and digital literacy. Bubbler teens were addressing the nation's widest black/white educational opportunity gap and highest per capita black juvenile arrest and incarceration rate in Dane County, Wisconsin, with this semester-long project allowing them to explore and redefine their own public image.
Thank you FAISAL ABDU'ALLAH and the many other artists, educators and activists who have made this exhibit possible, including:
Johanna Boyle Rob Dz Kay DeWaide Matt Feifarek Institute of Museum and Library Services Dana Johnson Richard Jones Just Bakery Madison Graphics Claire Mason Morgridge Center for Public Service Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment Nazka Serrano Meg Sill UW-Madison School of Library & Information Studies Manon van de Water Albert Watson Jeremy Wineberg Orion Wells
I play football and basketball. I'm cold at it. Practice. Practice is important for being the best. I run, and I work out, and you gotta be a good member of the team. I like to be outside because I can be with my friends there.
Kayonce says:
Love yourself.
If it's a clean world, then it could be a peaceful world. If we don't take care of the earth, we couldn't be here, we wouldn't be here. And I don't think we're taking care of it now and if we don't ever take care of it, we will run out of chances. Love yourself before you can love anything else. Sad people today don't put effort into themselves, but more into other people.
Time Capsule: images and ideas for the future, Kayonce
I rap about my family and things that is going on in my life, how I grew up, what's going on in the streets. That's real. Don't do things that you know is wrong. Don't follow other people. That's what gets you locked up. Growing up is really tough. Art helps you, it gets you to think about how it is. I would write a book about life. It depends on the people you hang out with.
Creating an exhibit mock up at Faisal Abdu'Allah's studio
Capturing shadows for a silhouette video
Time Capsule: Taking it into the Future, Young Pac
Northland says:
I want to jump so high I never come down.
This is me. If they see my picture, this guy could be one of the best basketball players. Will be one of the best basketball players. It means never miss a shot. I want to jump so high I never come down. If I don't make it to basketball, then football. Boxing, too. If I don't make it in basketball, I want to be a policeman. I want to be in the K-9 unit so I can teach my own dog. I always wanted to do that.
Photographing artist Faisal Abdu'Allah
Bossz says:
My direct message is being like a strong young man
My direct message is being like a strong young man that’s capable of doing anything. For instance, picking up a house is a hard challenge, but you can accomplish it. Basically what I’m trying to get at is if you pick the hardest thing and you can keep going and try to accomplish it, sooner or later, you will have everything where you need it to be.
The Direct Message title, I chose that. It felt good to choose something. At first when we was givin’ out titles and stuff, I was just playing around with the name Direct Message. Well, I said DM actually. And then I changed it to Direct Message, like to write it out, ‘cause that seem more presentable and more professional. Everybody look at it and be like “we need to go check on that and see what it’s about” so that’s why I chose Direct Message instead of DM, so people would know what it’s about.
Setting up a shot
Bo$$z steps behind the camera with Faisal Abdu'Allah
The Direct Message title, I chose that. It felt good to choose something. At first when we was givin’ out titles and stuff, I was just playing around with the name Direct Message. Well, I said DM actually. And then I changed it to Direct Message, like to write it out, ‘cause that seem more presentable and more professional. Everybody look at it and be like “we need to go check on that and see what it’s about” so that’s why I chose Direct Message instead of DM, so people would know what it’s about.
Shadow silhouette
JMOE says:
Practice is important for being the best.