March 14th - 16:14

Title: March 14th - 16:14 Medium: Super-8 film Aspect Ratio: 4:3 Resolution: 2880 x 2160 File Type: H.264 Codec / MP4. Comments: Lindy and her family and I visited the artistic area in Cape Town known for its iconic brightly colored, pastel homes, cobbled streets, and rich Muslim culture in Bo-Kaap. It was formerly known as the Malay Quarter, and is the hub of the Cape Malay community, Cultivating historic mosques along with local galleries and vibrant murals supporting the Palestinian cause to Free Palestine. Sudi stood under the literal word "Free" and approached the camera more so, where there are Palestinian flags waving and painted above his head. And an empowered woman with a fist in the air with one hand, and her baby in the other. A mother's commitment to her beliefs, her people, and her children. While Lindy and I were walking around this neighborhood appreciating the art and meeting some of the artists we spoke about how to finish the project and where it should take place. Today's portrait was very fitting to that conversation as I had originally thought I would end the project at the border of Palestine and Israel where the human aid was bringing in food and supplies. In the perfect world of "World Peace," and resolving conflict. I had imagined a portrait of a Palestinian man and an Israeli woman holding hands interlocking in front of the military by the gates that seperated the countries. To be a beacon of hope for humanity to resolve its differences. That there are people who do not agree with this conflict and want to end it now. To respect the cultures and connect the people. A dreamers dream where we can all get along, yet politics has a different agenda to divide and conquer under the guise of racism and religion. No one wants to live or die in the state of warfare. Every human wants to live their life in peace. Goto work, buy groceries, spend quality time with family and friends, get good rest, to simply enjoy life without stress or anxiety of bombs or death on both sides of the equation. How do we get to that point of respect and cooperation? Why do we continue to fight and die for freedom of being and believing? Will this war ever end? Are we doomed to repeat these patterns or will we find a way forward? I have faith in us. In humanity to overcome. No one wants to live in fear, and that is what we can all agree on. So, as Lindy and I discussed this idea to finish the project there. She did her reading on me and whispered by the ancestors that this was not the path for me. It was too divisive at a sensitive time. There is something more compelling than controversy. I did not realize it at the time but there truly was something ahead, literally on the final day of the project that made it all make sense. It was our roots, it was where our humanity came from. It was preserved inside a museum. Along with a mother and her child in her arms. A reflection of the mural we came to see here. Everything is connected, it just takes time to see how.