Over the years I have approached and then retreated from a series of drawings either depicting incarcerated black men in the contemporary or using images of incarcerated Black men as the center of allegorical or story-drawings about the lynching era. This drawing is one of the former. I’ve been making a lot of these lately, and they’ll be popping up over the next few weeks.
Stay tuned!
Ajuan Mance
If you ever shop at the smaller Farmer Joe’s market (on the corner of MacArthur and 35th), then you will probably recognize the man in this drawing as the security officer there. He is usually standing in the produce area, just inside the entrance. I’ve wanted to include him in this blog for quite a while, but I wanted to get his name before I drew him. Then, a couple days ago, I found myself just sketching him in my notebook. Voila! The next blog entry was born. I still plan to ask him his name and, when I do, I’ll add an update to this post.
Ajuan Mance
I was speaking to a young woman today whose younger brother is incarcerated. She is very sad because she believes that if she had been better able to protect him from being physically abused by her mother’s boyfriend, he would never have gotten involved in drug sales and drug-related violence. Speaking with her only reinforced my skepticism about our criminal justice system, a system that fails to address the root causes of violence, drug abuse, burglary, and theft, and instead remains focused on punishment alone. My investment in this issue is partially selfish. I live in Oakland, California, and the recidivism rate for the formerly incarcerated is not doing the city any favors; and the impact is greatest our most vulnerable neighborhoods.
Ajuan Mance
You know, I think that the multiplex is one of my favorite places to be ever. I know that many of my compatriots are movie purists, preferring the classically restored theater or the ratty, old, lived-in art house…but I don’t. Some old time theaters do a great restoration and I am glad they exist, but I love me some stadium seating, and I enjoy the souped up sound systems of some of the better multiplexes. Don’t even get me started on IMAX. A real, true IMAX theater (with the massive screen) is awesome. I saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at the Loews Metreon IMAX theater in San Francisco, and I felt like I was actually at Hogwarts….and the IMAX dome? Yes, it’s nerdy, and you usually have to go to the local planetarium or science museum to experience one, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t totally amazing! If I could watch UFC matches on the IMAX dome, or even just a good IMAX screen, I would–every single time, and I’d pay 20 or 25 bucks to do it. Heads up to Dana White…think about it!
Ajuan Mance
Around the 6-month anniversary of the Occupy Oakland protests, I thought it might be a good thing to create this tribute. I am the first one to admit that I never made it down to Frank Ogawa to join in the marches, nor have I agreed with all of the decisions made and actions taken by the protesters. I do, however, have much respect for the passion and sincerity of my students and colleagues who participated in some of the Occupy protests. Moreover, I am very pleased to have witnessed an uprising that–especially in cities like Boston and New York–saw young college activists standing alongside middle-aged working folks of many different races, organizing around their shared interests. If nothing else, the Occupy movement did at least bring the uneven distribution of wealth to the fore in ways that forced politicians to have to talk about it. That, in and of itself, is something of a miracle.
Ajuan Mance
–Seen waiting for his grandmother outside of the Ross–Dress for Less Store in Emeryville.
Ajuan Mance
Preppy background colors for three preppy guys, drawing using a 1950s palette of grays…
Ajuan Mance
This is a very stylized drawing of one of the busy shopping districts in this area–like Piedmont or College Ave. in Oakland, or Park Ave. in Alameda. There are sewing shops and ice cream shops on Park and Piedmont. I also decided to turn my logo into a street sign. I think I’ll probably use this method of depicting local shops again in the future.
Ajuan Mance
Hi Everyone,
I’ve really missed this space for sharing and getting feedback on my drawings. In my other life I am a professor, and I’ve been up to my eyeballs in writing and research recently. Hence, I’ve had little time to post my latest work. I’m posting three today, just to share what I’ve been up to over the last couple weeks. I hope you enjoy what you see!
Ajuan Mance
This drawing is based on one of the security officers at Farmer Joe’s Market at MacArthur and 35th. I changed his hair and removed the beard and dressed him in a gloriously green suit and tie, a la old school R&B style. I was watching some old Soul Train footage on YouTube, and I just loved the classic clips of some of those great soul groups of the 1970s. Do you remember the Spinners, the Stylistics, The Temptations, The Dramatics, or Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes? This drawing was inspired by their amazing coordinating suits.
Ajuan Mance