Christian Jordon
2009 Service Fund Participant –Kingsborough Community College
This institution of healing, a hospital, serves a new purpose today in my photo as a perfect proxy for the rise in production possible when people are inspired by something. This quite handsome creation of sleek steel and shined glass would normally be perceived as merely a home of medicine, instead it invokes inspiration and productivity. The steel and glass towers help us understand the problem brought out when the students at Kingsborough are not inspired, which would be a lack of productivity. This is caused by three obstacles:
-Lack of Aesthetics in the school as well as its furnishing
-Student voice not being channeled or put to a good use
-Lack of student representation
Each of the three equally important sections of the building is different in its purpose as well as in how it exemplifies the problem being dealt with. The three faces show the fact that each problem requires a different solution much in the way each lock needs a different key. The first section of the building, on the far left, with its plain and symmetrical façade, signifies the lack of both aesthetic beauty and uniqueness on the KCC campus. The monotone and hum-drum edifices at Kingsborough are a problem not necessarily from an architectural point of view. Instead of rebuilding, this problem can be dealt with by adding a fresh coat of paint, or other element of artistic taste; a mere attempt at beautification can make a world of difference.
The second obstacle is symbolized by the center section the building, the most conventional part that would normally be ignored. This section can indicate the silencing of the KCC student voice and the lack of direction it has. The student voice in most large institutions is widely ignored or considered less than valid due to the status of student, as if they are to be treated as less than others for some reason. The student can be ignored for an array of reasons, including the lack of student interest in the goings on at the institution; or the fact that there are so many of us that we blur together into a writhing mass of madness, or, sadly, a lack of faith in the system that is set in place to help them. This lack of faith makes students unresponsive when they should be doing what is necessary to be heard.
The third and final section of the building shows the lack of student representation as it is the section of the new building that is least frequented by staff or people hoping to receive treatment that are not staying the night. This lack of representation is caused by people not claiming the power they have as part of the student body, as well as those in power ignoring the students’ right to be heard. This can cause a waste of funding for student groups and activities, whether due to a lack of direction or a purposeful misuse of funds in selfish interest.
An organization set in place in order to represent those who are normally not heard would go a long way toward changing the issues mentioned previously. I have coined the phrase ‘Student Initiative Tribunal’, not so much as a name but a purpose. The Tribunal would be set in place to effect change on campus by unifying the students whilst not taking away their individual voices.
About the Artist
Over the course of my life I have learned that many things divide mankind, although I have also learned that far more important are the things that can keep us together. We are all responsible for our own actions; this leads to the first truth, as well as to those that follow. I hold these truths as dear as any physical belonging: to be honorable which is to be an upstanding, and dedicated person; to be fair, and to practice what you believe in.
We must all care for others as I have learned to do, whether it is as small as helping a parent up the stairs with a stroller, or giving someone the number to a job so they can get back on their feet. Some believe that we shine the best in the service of others; this does not mean mindless servitude, it means that one should be mindful of the needs and desires of others.
Maybe the most important thing that I use to govern my actions is the understanding of people. Without that as a guide all else may fail. One must consciously know that understanding people is the best way to deal with them whether it is in work or for play, it is the most advantageous way to deal with others.
In many parts of my life my hobbies and interests come in to play. For example, the parkour or “free-running” I practice, which is a form of acrobatics, helps me navigate the world in which I live. The martial art style I created “tenazukera o oni” gives me a confidence that I would never have had otherwise. The direction I take and the victories in my life are effected by the kinds of hobbies I have. A friend once told me that “some people are lost more than others, but if you can show someone their way, the heavens will always shine down upon you.” This idea of helping others find themselves is something I use as a guide in all I do.
