Aside from being a business major I'm also equally interested and involved in my digital arts minor. Over the course of my time in SBU i've learned about a variety of artist. One artist that's stuck with me is Kara Walker. She is an African American artist who creates black art using only silhouetted figures of stereotypical black figures. What intrigues me about Kara Walker's art is the shock value it has. Upon an initial viewing of her art its looks playful and kid friendly but with some further observation viewers see that her work is quite graphic and often makes those viewing the work in an art exhibit very uncomfortable and awkward.
The feeling that Walkers art gives is what I looked to create when I created this piece you see above.

Being on a college campus I observe the diversity it has and offers. Despite that diversity though I cant help but think what is it that people see and think when they see me or a person of any nationality or race with stereotypical connotations connected to them. When i created this work I did it in a way in which I imagined some people's subconscious thought process to be when they see black or minority. I imagined the thoughts to be initially subtle then steadily progress to eventual full blown thought. I also imagined that immediately following that thought there is a sense of guilt for the thought, because the person doesn't consider him/her self to be racist at all.I illustrated that guilt with the young crying boy behind the lettering. He represents the innocent unknowing child who already carries or will eventually carry the connotation in front of him before he even develops his self identity.

Each day we face the scrutiny and opinions of those who don't know us as an individual.They simply know us based on whatever "stock" information has been conceived and formulated about the race or creed that we identify with. Like Walker I wanted this piece to place those individuals in a position where their inner thoughts are brought to surface in public and most likely amongst other just like themselves. It is in that moment of self realization that I feel this piece will be at its most powerful.