Monday, July 25, 2016
Pittsburgh Teens Paint Murals to Condemn Gun Violence
The 412 - July 2016: A group of Pittsburgh teenagers is using paintbrushes to deliver their message on gun violence.
The Moving Lives of Kids Mural Project (MLK) has been working recently in Homewood to paint an anti-gun violence mural at the corner of Homewood Avenue and Idlewild Street. The mural is one of 10 the group has painted across a number of Pittsburgh neighborhoods as part of their “Paint All Over Pittsburgh Project.”
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This kind of movement, one that supports gun control and tries to publicly gather support against gun violence in general is becoming so increasingly important in the society we all live in, especially in light of not only the many many instances of gun violence within the past few weeks, but also in the many instances within the last decade of American history. The first really big act of gun violence I remember being very aware of was the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December of 2012. Since then, shootings like that in Ferguson, Orlando, Baton Rouge, San Bernadino, and just about every other city in America that you can think of has had shootings of all sorts. When focusing on school shootings, I think that it is fantastic that other young people whose peers were shot like those that have started and volunteer with The Moving Lives of Kids Mural Project are speaking out against the issue of gun control so adamantly. When looking at gun violence in relation to the increasingly large and horrific issue of police brutality in this country, I think, as pointed out in one of the photos in this article, that it is important for members of the police force to come together with civilians to speak out about both police brutality and racial profiling as well as gun violence as a whole.
This is what I think art is for: giving an audience member a visual representation of an issue and thus forth making them think about the issue and reflect on it. These murals are probably scene everyday by hundreds, if not thousands of people, because they are so public. Public art has the power to give its message to a larger audience than other artworks due to the accessibility. The fact that these murals painted by MLK have such a strong message is amazing. Its making people who see them reflect on this issue that is effecting our nation. The issue of gun violence is one that can be uncomfortable for some people to talk about, but these murals are forcing onlookers to think about the issue, even if it is for a minute second. It’s also amazing that local teens are creating these murals. It gives teens a place to feel like they are making a difference in this huge issue that seem like an insurmountable issue that is sweeping our nation.
This is a perfect way of spreading the message about gun violence. And I think after a couple recent incidents, including the Wilkinsburg shooting in Pittsburgh, people are becoming much more aware. And it's great that's they used such an interactive way of getting the word out. Showing this contribution that's happening around city, explains how many people have been effected by this or feel that there needs to be a change. The youth are the people who can make or break this change and it's amazing to see so many teens stepping out a creating such a strong message. Recently there have been a handful of protests happening around the city that have had great turn outs. And it's also exciting to see something like this mural, that will be there for a while, create a long-lasting and still just as strong messge to this community.
There is a time and place for art with the sole intention being entertainment, but that is not what we need right now. The art that these kids are making is what we need right now. Using art to spread messages, especially messages that are so relevant to the time and place, is what we need to be seeing more of. Art has a way of moving people in a way that simply talking cannot. When the art is created by young people, it seems to be even more effective. When young people are passionate about something, people seem to more willingly listen. To say that art is the answer to the world’s problems would be a lie, but in conjunction with dialogue, it is only helping the situation.
I find it compelling to see students and police officers cooperating on such artwork, often these movements hold an anti-police sentiment and they turn controversial quickly, but this movement is not anti-anyone it stands for what it is and it does a great job of motivating a community and uniting people. I am often inspired to learn that people in my generation are taking stands against such large issues at such an early age because they are born into a world where they must be astutely aware of the reality of their situation.
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