How 5 Artists Are Creating to End Bullying
Putting an end to bullying is possibly the most solvable problem of our generation — the solution is as simple as speaking up for each other, and prioritizing kindness above all else. The end to this issue will have a ripple effect that will reach across all issues of empathy and compassion.
By creating artwork about the realities of microaggression, excuses based on (non-existent) gender-roles, and the importance of considering others, artists are making moves towards the end of bullying.
The Bully Project Mural, is a testament to this — it’s a space where artists come together to create towards kindness, share their stories, and prove that we are all on the same side.
Check out these five artists — all with art featured on the mural — who are championing the kindness movement by sharing their perspectives on bullying.
Giulia Gandini
“Jenna, a 9 year old girl, experiences bullying from a male classmate. Seeking comfort in her teacher, she is advised that the boy hit her because he likes her. From that point onwards Jenna embarks on a journey of self-discovery to decide for herself. For the director, this was a first time filmmaker experience at the age of 22 years old. ‘Alright’ promotes gender equality and young creatives both onscreen and behind it: it is triple-F rated (directed by a woman, written by a woman and starring a child female lead), plus it was produced, casted, 1st AD-ed and edited by women all under 25 years old.”
Joseph Blank
“Good People is about a young boy who is forced by bullies to pickpocket an old woman, but when he tries to return it not everything goes according to plan. This is work that everyone can relate to. How many times have you tried to do the right thing and have had it backfire? This theme is the centerpiece of the film. Having never used limited film format or directed non-English actors previously, it was a pleasure to step out of my comfort zone and manage these elements to produce a film that uses minimal dialogue to conjure both drama and comedy. Directed by Joseph Blank, a New York based filmmaker/student. Shot on location in Prague, Czech Republic on 35mm film.”
Bailey Graham
“Growing up, sometimes i doubted my ability to speak human. I was always the odd girl, the one the teachers had to force kids to play with so she wasn’t all alone at recess. Though I was bullied and alone, it didn’t hit me very often, but when it did, it hurt. I found solitude in my creativity, and slowly I became what I created. In this place I was welcome, I could be as weird and abnormal as I wanted because there was no one else to care. And I was entirely okay with that.”
Taniesha Parker
Open Your Eyes by Taniesha Parker
“This is an anti-bullying video I made earlier this year for Project 1324. The reason it is called “Open Your Eyes” is because, everyone is aware that bullying happens all around us, but not many people actually open their eyes and see that it is a major issue that needs to be talked about more.”
Cris Shamrock
Impunity: Like You Did Not See Anything by Cris Shamrock
“Many people pretend that they do not see anything and are silent, we have the windows open to what is happening around us, and we still want to do nothing about what is happens and have fear of denouncing something, every day people ignore what is in front of them and put a barrier between them and reality. People pretend that they do not see anything in different cases that they have to pay attention to, such as violence, domestic violence, and even bullying in school. We have to act and leave the fear aside, we have to create dialogue about problems and find solutions, instead of putting an imaginary barrier between us and what happens, we have to open the window completely.”