Review of Shooting Youth photography exhibition at Knowle West Media Centre

In Roland Barthes’ influential book about photography, Camera Lucida, the French theorist writes, “Ultimately, photography is subversive, not when it frightens, repels, or even stigmatizes, but when it is pensive, when it thinks.“
The new photography exhibition at Knowle West Media Centre, Shooting ‘Youth’, is subversive therefore for a number of reasons.  It is an intelligent photography exhibition which encourages you to appreciate the images and think at the same time.  It contains central threads of ideas which have influenced how the photographs have been taken, style following content. The work on display is thoughtful, sensitive, well crafted, subtle, and to borrow from Barthes, pensive.  The exhibition is subversive also for the fact that all of the images have been taken by young people, in an era when to be merely young is often to be labelled subversive; blamed for riots, anti-social behaviour, illiterate text speak and being intimidating, when all they may have done is stand on a corner wearing a hooded top.

It is this idea, of challenging superficial assumptions of others, that informs
the work of Kiri Tierney, who has two displays in the exhibition.  “Breaking the Stereotype” is a series of twelve symmetrically arranged images of a young man, seen in the first image dressed smart casual, then seen in the subsequent images with his body exposing a multiple array of tattoos.  Rather than being purely decorative, his tattoos are all codes of his personal philosophies and beliefs.  The work challenges the audience to consider, what do you see, and what do you imagine you see?  Tierney’s second display, ‘Facial Awareness’, is a montage of a face consisting of parts from different people, speaking to the paradoxical notion that humans are all the same and at the same time all different – which ultimately makes us all the same in our difference.

Kiri Tierney – Breaking the Stereotype

Sabrina Chowdhury’s exhibit, ‘The Truth About Youth’, challenges the sitters of her portraits directly with the task of summing up young people in a single word,
writing their answers on a held up piece of paper in a style reminiscent of the
artist Gillian Wearing.  The fascinating element of the results Chowdhury elicited is how all the young she photographed contained words which were predominantly honest and self-aware, (carefree, fun, lost, naughty and rude), whilst the older people she asked wrote words of encouragement and idealism, (potential, inspiring, future and (again) potential).  This is not to say that the
words provided by the adults are not also true (the word ‘potential’ hides a
multitude of contrasting meanings), but the straight forward honesty of the
young people’s quotes strike as refreshing – saying to the world, no we are not
perfect, but neither are you, and neither is the world.

Sabrina Chowdhury – The Truth About Youth

The theme of teenage parenting is the subject of two bodies of work in the
exhibition, that of Lucy Fulford and Callen Hale (the accompanying text tells
the viewer that Hale himself is a teenage father, which interestingly is a
demographic we don’t hear much about).  Both photographers take different approaches to representing the girls (only girls are included, none of the dads).  Fulford presents a sensitive and upbeat set of environmental portraits, representing the girls as friendships groups, as mothers with their children, and importantly, also as individuals, which is an aspect of their identity often forgotten.  The series presents a positive and fun representation, in very natural and casual poses in real life locations, working as a counterbalance to the more problematized representations often seen in mainstream press.  Hale’s work is
equally as optimistic and upbeat, presenting a set of accomplished portraits of
the young mothers with their children in a studio setting, in the style of high
street commercial photography, which he has achieved in a convincing way.

Lucy Fulford – Teenage Parents Project

Callen Hale – Teenage Parents Project

The work of Rachael Heapey turn the lens onto a senior citizens dance group rather than young people, and has captured a beautiful and sensitive set of portraits and documentary images. Simply presented, with large formal portraits of the dance partners together, and smaller documentary photographs of dancing in action underneath, the series is heart-warming, fun and energetic, showing there is plenty of life and high spirits left in the elders of our communities.  Heapey’s work compliments the teenage mums images well, spanning ages and experiences, both showing life is to be lived to the full in the face of any challenges that may arise.

Rachael Heapey – Young at Heart

Not all of the work in the exhibition looks at the subject of age in a direct
way.  Matt Green, Tom Hawkins and Mateo Ocasta each exhibit more abstract and impressionist work, pointing their cameras out into the fabric of the world, rather than concentrating so much on other people.  Green presents a highly accomplished series of photographs titled ‘Different Light’, offering fleeting glimpses into life, fragmentary views of time passing – traffic, texture of tree trunks, abstract light trails, and cloud formations, amongst other things.  The photographs are all confidently produced and evidence that Green has good technical control of his chosen medium, to make the ordinary extraordinary to the eye.

Matt Green – Different Light

Tom Hawkins is also a photographer fascinated with the visual interest in his everyday surroundings, concentrating for his series on broken windows and the glass protection of a local community centre.  The beauty of dereliction has long been a fascination for photographers and Hawkins’ work falls within that tradition.  Close-ups of fractured glass, peering through the rippled patterns of re-enforced glass onto the outside world, and abstract views of twigs and branches intermeshed with security fencing, offers a subtle comment on the often unseen dynamics within community spaces neighbourhood living, and the reality that any system, whether it be a physical building or human relationships, requires constant maintenance.

Tom Hawkins – Untitled

Maseo Ocasta presents a pair of urban landscape documentary
photographs, showing people going about their everyday lives in the shadow of
their concrete surroundings – one of the back of a group of people walking past
a wall of graffiti, and the other of a Muslim woman on her phone stood in front
of a derelict shop next to a massage parlour.  The diptych is titled ‘Not my Property’, offering perhaps the suggestion that, in city life especially, people just get on and make do living their daily lives, even if they have no control or influence over their environment.  Ocasta’s work is deceptive in appearing at first glance to be straightforward slices of life, though offering more hints and details of narrative on closer inspection.  The work would benefit from being printed much larger to draw some of the nuances out of the images for audiences to fully appreciate.

Maseo Ocasta – Not my Property

Lewis Saunders explores the idea of narrative in a more direct way, presenting the most mixed media body of work in the exhibition with the creation of a comic
strip, employing dramatised photography techniques along with creative writing,
graphic design and post-production image manipulation.  Titled ‘Beware of the Giantess Kate’, the storyline follows the fortunes of the title character who, when accidently drinks a magic potion, turns into a 200ft woman.  Going on a rampage through the now tiny city of Bristol, Kate uses her new found power to wreck havoc and destruction, before eventually returning back to normal size, with very little remorse of her actions. The comic strip is a good fun dramatic romp, in the surreal tradition of the b-movie Hollywood classics from the 1950s, (the subtitle of comic strip is ‘The Attack of the 200ft Woman from Earth’).  In that same tradition, Saunders’ work has a healthy refusal of trying to communicate a moral or serious message, which is as refreshing to see in a young people’s exhibition as more serious subjects.  Both light and shade are needed in successful exhibitions to provide surprises and a sense of journey, and this inject of humour creates an effective balance celebrating unashamed imaginative creativity and youthful playfulness, which still needs to be celebrated.

Lewis Saunders – Beware of the Giantess Kate (The Attack of the 200ft Woman from Earth)

The final body of work in the exhibition is from Liam Charlton, who presents a
thoughtful series of portraits titled ‘Hopes and Dreams’.  The work shows people of all generations – from a teenager through to an elder gentleman – all holding props which hint at their aspirations for their futures.  The work speaks to the idea that ambitions never die and people should not write off their lives or give up their aspirations, that there is always more to strive for in life.  Charlton offers only the photographs to the audience and no text detailing what exactly the aspiration was for each sitter and what the props mean, which was an excellent curatorial decision.  Not knowing exactly what props are alluding to, (though admittedly some are more obvious that others), allows the audience to make up their own minds, encouraging us to look closer at the people in the images and making connections with the props as visual hints, rather than having to rely on accompanying text interpretation to do all of the work for us.  Making the audience look closer at the images, at the people represented in them, encourages us to work it out for ourselves, which is just as it should be, rather than having information spoon fed to us with no effort.  This is what Barthes
had in mind when speaking of photography’s quiet subversive nature, encouraging the audience to leave the room thinking a little more about certain aspects of life than before they entered, the photography working its magic on us in a subconscious fashion.

Liam Charlton – Hopes and Dreams

This marriage of photography and young people is interesting, happening at a time (in digitally active societies) when photographic technologies are ubiquitous in daily life, unquantifiably more ubiquitous than photography in advertising and print media that we have been used to for generations.  Easily captured on mobile phones and games consoles, and as equally easy to exhibit and distribute using social network platforms, photography exists in every corner of our existence, as common as the material texture of our surroundings; we no longer even notice them. (How often do you actually look at adverts on the internet?)  Young people are at the cutting edge of technological photographic revolutions without even realising it.  This exhibition is a timely reminder that good photography, no matter how technologically advanced, resonates deeper with an audience when the thing that the camera has been pointed at has been thought
about and considered, even if thought about after the split second act of actually taking the photograph, which may have been purely by instinct.  This exhibition contains good work of that nature, and is part of Barthes’ quiet encouragement of subversive photography, that which is and makes one pensive, rather than merely mirroring life, also asking questions of life, in a quiet subtle way.

The exhibition is open until Christmas 2011.  Click here for further details or visit www.kwmc.org.uk

Review by Dr Shawn Sobers, Senior Lecturer – Photography and Media, University of the West of England
31 October 2011

Photos of exhibition taken by my 10 year old daughter Mahalia! 

 

DON’T RIOT, READ A BOOK INSTEAD! #ukriots

My first suggestion for Looters reading is ‘No Logo’ by Naomi Klein.  You’ll then realise you’re only puppets (consumer slaves) of the designer goods you are stealing and wearing.  Wikipedia says, “The book discusses how brand names such as Nike expanded beyond the mere products which bore their names, and how these names and logos began to appear everywhere. As this happened, the brands’ obsession with the youth market drove them to further associate themselves with whatever the youth considered ‘cool’.”

Wise up!!!

On Behaviour Management in schools

Recently a good friend of mine asked for my opinion on behaviour management in schools.  Behaviour management is a huge problem for some schools, and in some cases it is their overwhelming main problem, especially in secondary schools, (11+ years of age).  When I wrote this response I think, for various reasons, I mainly had Primary schools (4 – 10 years) and Special Educational Needs schools in mind.  Here’s what I said;

The first thing that always springs to mind when I hear the term ‘Behaviour management’, is the sad vision of children being contained and restrained -
their movements being limited so as not to affect anyone else. The problem with
that is the root problem or cause isn’t being addressed, it is merely being
‘managed’ until the school bell goes, and same again the next day, until they
eventually leave or get kicked out.

When a child is disruptive, the onus is put on them and they are told how
irresponsible they have been, and maybe punishment handed out. Fair enough, but what is often missing is a proper conversation with them about root causes and feelings. Conversation doesn’t happen for perhaps good reason, 1) the child
won’t/can’t speak or open up, 2) takes too long, 3) seen as being soft, 4)
you’re not a therapist, and many other reasons. But still to really change disruptive behaviour those stages have to be worked through, maybe calling in support workers etc. But the battle ground will still be with the teachers on the front line, so trust has to be built up there, and not all devolved to additional
support workers at a distance.

Staff that have key responsibility for pastoral care have the tension of
idealism vs everyday school pressures & perceptions. Often when you take a
naughty child, and allow them the space to find their own voice and confidence,
allowing them to set the agenda and doing activities they enjoy, their
behaviour improves dramatically. But the whisperers will say they have been
rewarded for their bad behaviour, rather than seeing they have been working
through a process to be able to transfer that self-agenda setting back into the
main classroom, when integrated back in. Naughtiness is often a sign of
boredom, but very difficult to tell that to a teacher without looking like
you’re undermining them and really pissing them off! But the truth is it’s usually
nothing to do with the teachers personally or a comment on their teaching
ability or style, it’s the institution of school itself that repels these
children and often the idea of authority in general, and it often goes a lot
deeper than their immediate environment.

Though on the question of the teaching style and environment, on a couple of occasions I’ve had teachers ask me how bad such & such must have been that I’ve had in media projects, and I’ve had to tell them honestly that they were often the best behaved and most productive in the group. But working in the informal
education sector, or on a specific project as an external coming into a school,
is obviously very different from the constraints and bureaucracy teachers are
faced with every single day.  Teachers often don’t have the time anymore to be able to effectively channel the energy of their challenging children, and they merely get to discipline them instead.

Schools have a culture of telling children off, because adults are supposed to know best and children are meant to follow. That’s an effective strategy for the
mostly good, average and mildly naughty children, who needs to be kept within a
formal set of boundaries and be reminded of “accepted behaviour”, but that
strategy falls apart for the much more challenging children, who are incredibly
disruptive, unmanageable, wilfully rude, almost seemingly feral.

Those types of children are not only really badly behaved, they are usually
damaged – psychologically, emotionally, socially, and dare I say spiritually.  Scratch the surface of a really disruptive “bad” child, and usually they have a different set of issues they are dealing with, whether at home or in their head. Their badness is just a facade for their vulnerability. But put those children in areas of responsibility, and they will often take it seriously and do the job well, as they have been trusted with an important task.

Often the disruptive children are actually the highly intelligent, even if
they’ve NEVER proved it, as they’re using a different bit of their brain. They
don’t see the use in school lessons as according to them it has no bearing on
their real life, it’s too abstract. But give them something practical to do,
even on the same theme, and they love it. Not because they are using their
hands, but because they can see the learning applied in a real world context.
It’s no longer just playing schools, but they can imagine it in a real grown up
world, (and often disruptive kinds think they’re more grown up than they are).

With I think all of these issues, it comes back to their sense of self-identity. Being secure and confident in their own skin means they wouldn’t feel the need to show off or have to prove themselves to other people.  To be effective behaviour management policy has to be holistic, as there isn’t a set of answers or off the shelf framework that will work for all the contexts teachers need. It has to be ‘working with’ the pupils, rather than ‘doing to’.

There’s an interesting book by Tony Jeffs & Mark Smith called, ‘Informal
Education: Conversation, democracy and learning’, that is useful for dealing
with this. Even though it is about working in informal education, it is those
sensibilities that are needed when working for formal institutions with
challenging children. It talks about the importance of conversation, and the
link with self-worth to learning.

Pastoral conscious teachers will always be walking that line of some teachers
thinking they are being are too soft, and bending over backwards to help
disruptive children, but the important thing is to know your school and your
children.  You can be holistic, and still be tough when you need to be. But children can often feel like they’re living in an oppressive police state, when actually the ability to express themselves in a safe environment is really important.  Not only important, but vital.

Shawn – 13.7.11

Sniper Michael Gove MP (Once a week news pic)

Image produced by Shawn Sobers for Once a Week News Pic series.
Original copyright remains on image details.

Tougher targets for schools is not the answer to problems in education. The problem is too much top down agenda setting and interfering.  New Labour were bad enough with this, and in a record short space of time the ConDems have exceeded even Blair.  At least New Labour’s endless initiatives had an air of raising aspirations of children and staff.  The ConDems are just living up to their name, and depressing everybody if they don’t meet reactively set arbitrary targets.  Beating up teachers will only make them more demoralised and stressed, which is not good for our children.  You’re getting it seriously wrong Gove.  Painful to witness.

Responding to these stories;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jun/14/schools-told-raise-bar-gcse-results
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13788724

 

Signs of Times – placards of student protest (The Musical)

Photographs taken during the first student & lecturer march against the ConDem rise in tuition fees, November 10th 2010.  A one stop shop for all your student placard slogan needs.

All photography by me – Shawn Sobers
Music by Musical Youth – original copyright remains
All messages by The People

If the video does not show up properly see it on YouTube here – youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTg9UnQrNrU

YouTube – UNDER the spotlight, IS the spotlight, and source of energy FUELING the spotlight

Earlier this week MIT Press published a ‘video book’ called ‘Learning from YouTube’ by Media Studies Professor Alexandra Juhasz.  The book is not of the physical kind, nor is it a downloadable file for your Kindle or iPad.  It is a website-book which has been peer reviewed and given an ISBN number, which exists in, amongst and around YouTube, with the site being the subject matter, field of research and platform for dissemination.

An additional architecture framework has been created linked into the YouTube site which includes a multi-search facilitate to navigate the various chapters  which creates the (non-linear) video book concept, with the content being quite short written pieces with dynamic links to video content produced by Juhasz, her students and (laterally) related pieces found on YouTube.  Juhasz herself does not use the term ‘chapters’, instead has coined the phrase ‘textios’, which are the 15 webpages which include text and videos, alongside other forms of non-linear navigation such as tags and tours.

 To see the ‘Learning from YouTube’ video book for yourself, and to describe it for yourself – click here.

As Dr Juhasz herself says, there is not one linear argument this video book is making, but rather multiple arguments that were explored during her ‘Learning from YouTube’ classes at Pitzer College Los Angeles, since 2003.  There are many points of innovation that could be discussed in relation to this video book, including;

-       the experiment’s research findings on YouTube , (and the challenges of even getting qualitative research findings out of something so random and fast as YouTube.);

-       the concept of a ‘video book’, and how this could inform the future directions of media literacy.  Also interesting that such a video book is based on trust of other YouTube users that they will not take down their videos, leaving a video book with empty pages.  It would be unethical to copy their videos to a video book archive without the owners’ permissions as security, so those questions of participation and ownership etc are really interesting in relation to this work;

-       this video book being published and disseminated free by MIT Press, and the future of academic publishing.  This video book was peer-reviewed, copy-edited, has an ISBN number, and went through all the processes of traditional academic publishing.  It is completely free to access and as far away from the inaccessibility of the academic journal system as you can get, which costs money to access, slow to publish, and not updatable.  Also how the concept of a peer-reviewed free ‘video book’ could inform other academic websites and blogs, and how publishing houses and universities could respond to this changing dynamic in academic texts.

-       Dr Juhasz’s concept of ‘Third YouTube’, and its relationship to Third Cinema.

‘Learning with YouTube’ also highlights something to learn from with regards the underlying pedagogy of the production of this video book, as an example of dynamic curriculum delivery for Higher Education.  As an educator I am always interested in ways teachers teach, and am always trying to find new ways for students to experience the curriculum.  As someone who works with young people both in formal education institutions such as universities and schools, and also in less formal spaces such as community centers, galleries and museums, I’m interested in how to reconcile the different styles of pedagogy between those spaces, from traditional top down ‘banking’ style teaching, through to less hierarchical forms of group facilitation.  In the ‘Orientation to the Class’ tour Juhasz explains how her course was run.

“Our classes were recorded and put on YouTube, and all of the students’ research and course work was confined to the form of either videos or comments on YouTube. We learned together in and about Internet culture, DIYmedia, and social video networking by reframing YouTube for higher education, critical reflection, and reflexive processes. Just so, I made videos too. But because of the limits of YouTube (and video), I also chose to blog in real time about these experiences. And then … the course went viral: a telling if tiring opportunity for even more self-reflection and YouTube critical reflexivity!”

Even though criticized by some quarters when Juhasz’s classes were first announced in 2007,  finding innovative ways to teach/deliver/facilitate classes (call it what you will), and to keep them relevant for students has to be one of the key areas that universities have to keep their eye on and develop.  Especially in the UK with the current tensions concerning the raising of tuition fees, students will increasingly want curriculums that reflect the world they live in today.  Rather than wallowing in media communication theories from the 1970s, with ‘Learning from YouTube’ Alexandra Juhasz has put her money (time and effort) where her mouth is and sought to create a class which drags media communication theories into the here and now.

By being a harsh critic of YouTube as well as an enthusiastic user, and producing a media research work inside the very medium of its study, Juhasz’s ‘Learning with YouTube’ highlights the simple fact that, love them or hate them, these new technologies are now a part of our (online) lives that we can seldom avoid.  My friends who swear blind they would never join Facebook still have the occasional glimpse via their partner’s profiles, and get invited to parties etc arranged through their partners profiles, but because they don’t have a profile themselves they can still claim they have clean hands. 

The majority of YouTube users will not have YouTube profiles as there is no real need.  As Juhasz says in one of the tours, YouTube hardly encourages participation in the same way as social network sites, and is more about “solo play”.  So even as a critic Juhasz also understands the potential for YouTube to innovate, as without it this very innovation would not have been possible.  Like with all technologies, if we view it as a tool we can use it for our own ends accordingly for educational, liberation and other processes for the social good.  But we are still only human with temptations, and we want our cake and eat it too.

Even though we may disdain at the huge amount of crap on YouTube and what that says about people living in developed societies with time on their hands, we can’t deny we are also a part of that developed society with time to think about such questions, and the Achilles heel of our human selves may be disgusted, but at the same time fascinated, like anthropologists who at the same time are disgusted and envious of what they witness.  This is why my current favorite video I found on the ‘Learning with YouTube’ so far speaks to that truth, made by one of Dr Juhasz’s students who goes by the YouTube moniker of ‘PerchysBigAdventure’.  YouTube adopts a personality and taunts the politicized student. 

“Go ahead, watch. What, you have better things to do with your time? Write a book?”

And of course he clicks to watch more.  We all click eventually.  Our curiosity gets the better of us.  Go ahead…..click!

There is a lot of content in ‘Learning with YouTube’, which shouldn’t be a surprise, after all it is a book!  I wish this experiment all the best and I shall watch with interest, and will hopefully also act accordingly, and not just wait for the academy to change around me.

Burning Responsibility: Young Lives and Media Projects

Just over a month ago I attended the funeral of a 24 year old young man who tragically took his own life. His death and its circumstances shook the whole community, especially his peers.  12 years ago I was teaching him how to edit – me working as a facilitator on a community media project, working with colleagues I still work with today.  About 5 years after that he worked as a music producer on another community media project we were running.  We managed to bring him in to be involved after realizing he was ‘not around much’ lately. His sister had become heavily involved in the media project, and we kept asking how he was.  A couple of years after that, after spending some time ‘away’, he started to get involved with a weekly media club we ran, again it was great to see him sharing his talents – he was a natural editor and music producer, but he never boasted.  He was a very humble guy.

Why am I writing about this?  One of the reasons is to remember, to acknowledge, and the continual need to realize.  At his funeral two video youth workers gave speeches about his life.  Everyone who knew him knew of his skills, but as a laid back guy no one realized the urgency of that need for him in his life, or how vulnerable he was.

I am also writing this as I know I was also once a bit like that 24 year old, but my epiphany came earlier and in a less chaotic manner.  At the age of 19 I had a moment of depression and realized I needed to do something more constructive with my life.  On Christmas Eve I decided to apply to college and study media production.  I haven’t looked back since, I dare not, as I fear turning into salt like Lot’s wife.

Media and creativity was my lifeline, and true to the ‘wounded healer’ archetype I have gone on to work with other young people who seek creative ambitions possibly for similar reasons.  I am of course oversimplifying the past 20 years, but this distilled interpretation is still valid. 

I don’t want to go to any more funerals like this, though I also know I cannot save anyone, and that would be an arrogant claim and thought.  I can continue to work with others to try and provide opportunities for young people and spaces for their skills to be nurtured and witnessed, and from a pastoral perspective their emotional needs to be supported also.  Ultimately however I also know my own limitations, and realize I am no longer the best person to be working in intense youth community contexts any more, as vulnerable young people need time, attention and continuity from facilitators that I know I can no longer personally provide.  This is not a grumble however, as mentioned before, I know my limitations.  There are better (and younger) community media youth workers than me, but I can continue to help create the projects to put them in place.

So with the year ahead and the challenges for young people with regards; cuts to the community sector for arts funding; raising university tuition fees; harsher penalties for being unemployed; and all the other general stuff of life that makes being a young person today like swimming against the adult tide – to young people all I can say is if you have a talent, then don’t hide it, bring it to the surface.  Work towards getting your talents recognized and pursue your ambitions with all your heart, as that will generally make you happy.

When all said and done, the 24 year old young man took his own life because he was not happy.  So do whatever makes you happy, share your ideas with other people and find good people to work with, and keep on doing it.  It’s the difference between participating, and not participating, in your own life destiny.  If this sounds like a gross oversimplification, maybe that is what is required.

At the funeral his uncle spoke in a heartfelt way about how people should not be whispering and criticising the family and friends of the deceased, as God forbid the same can happen to anyone.  He advised rather to spend time with family and friends, to make sure in this busy hectic world we are not missing vital signs.  He is so right.

A related musical interlude, listen to the lyrics (and read them below) of ‘The Fire’ by The Roots featuring John Legend.  Inspiring stuff!  Keep your heads up, no matter what!

The Fire Lyrics – The Roots feat. John Legend

[John Legend]
Ohhhh, the fire, the fire
Ohhhh, the fire, the fire

[Chorus: John Legend]
There’s something in your heart
and it’s in your eyes
It’s the fire, inside you
Let it burn
You don’t say good luck
You say don’t give up
It’s the fire, inside you
Let it burn

[Black Thought]
Yeah, and if I’m ever at the crossroads
and start feeling mixed signals like Morse code
My soul start to grow colder than the North Pole
I try to focus on the hole of where the torch goes
In the tradition of these legendary sports pros
As far as I can see, I’ve made it to the threshold
Lord knows I’ve waited for this a lifetime
And I’m an icon when I let my light shine
Shine bright as an example of a champion
Taking the advantage, never copping out or cancelling
Burn like a chariot, learn how to carry it
Maverick, always above and beyond average
Fuel to the flame that I train with and travel with
Something in my eyes say I’m so close to having the prize
I realise I’m supposed to reach for the skies
Never let somebody try to tell you otherwise

http://www.elyricsworld.com/the_fire_lyrics_the_roots.html

[Chorus]

[Black Thought]
One love, one game, one desire
One flame, one bonfire, let it burn higher
I never show signs of fatigue or turn tired
cause I’m the definition of tragedy turned triumph
It’s David and Goliath, I made it to the eye of
the storm, feeling torn like they fed me to the lions
Before my time start to wind down like the Mayans
I show ‘em how I got the grind down like a science
It sounds like a riot on hush, it’s so quiet
The only thing I hear is my heart, I’m inspired
by the challenge that I find myself standing eye to eye with
Then move like a wise warrior and not a coward
You can’t escape the history that you was meant to make
That’s why the highest victory is what I’m meant to take
You came to celebrate, I came to sever great
I hate losing, I refuse to make the same mistake

[John Legend]
Ohhhh, the fire, the fire
Ohhhh, the fire, the fire

[Chorus]

[John Legend]
Ohhhh, the fire inside you
The fire inside you
The fire inside you
The fire inside you

RSA Animate – Changing Education Paradigms

Sharing this animated interpretation of a Ken Robinson lecture.

‘Crouching Man’ sculpture – Inspirational so have to share

I went to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne for a conference at the Miner’s Institute, and saw this sculpture on top of a bookcase.  I was immediately drawn to it before I knew what it was about and started taking photos using my phone.  I then read the description.

I hope this inspires you as much as it did me.

Shawn

Saint George’s Day for All

On Radio 4 a while ago there was a debate about patron saints and nationalism, and if it was a healthy thing.  One of the guests said they thought Saint George’s day was a good opportunity for different communities to celebrate in England, as Saint George himself represented inclusiveness as he was born in Turkey, and (according to Wikipedia) is the patron saint of Aragon, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, and Russia, as well as the cities of Amersfoort, Beirut, Fakiha, Bteghrine, Cáceres (Spain), Ferrara, Freiburg, Genoa, Ljubljana, Gozo, Milan, Pomorie, Preston, Qormi, Rio de Janeiro, Lod, Barcelona and Moscow.

Here goes then!

“This painting of a religious procession was done in the 19th century in Ethiopia by an unknown artist.  It shows St George riding above the procession on a white horse. You can read about it in more detail on The British Museum’s website.  St George is one of the most important saints in Ethiopia. Paintings of him were taken into battle ahead of the Ethiopian army to give them victory.”

© The British Museum (this version of the was text taken from Show Me website).

Happy Saint George’s Day!

Photograph © Shawn Naphtali Sobers 2010