Judit Paal – Guest Author
I’ve been following the artist IMPREINT since I participated in his project ‘Portraits‘ and I always find fascinating how he arrives to involve the people through his artworks leaving them also the opportunity to participate and be involved.
CUT OFF January 13 at 9:00 am – Courtesy of IMPREINT
In the last project ‘CUT OFF‘ two things particularly catch my attention. The first one is the choice of the title: short, immediate, radical even hard. It talks about homelessness, about homeless people. But we don’t see them on the photo, because they are cut off from the photo, like they are cut off from the society. But in the project, I don’t see them like this: they are treated with respect and dignity, moreover, by not showing anyone personally he talks about every one of them.
The second is the challenge that he proposes to both sides: the society and the homeless. I wonder, will the people on the wealthy side ever give a helping hand to the less fortunate and give them opportunities via education and other instruments, and accept that through these, others can be equal or even more powerful? And will the homeless people have the force to stand up and transform their lives adapting new rules?
CUT OFF 11/52 – Courtesy of IMPREINT
I like also the metaphor of the cardboard, it gives us a divisive sentence and lets us choose how we construe it. Do we read it and think this person really dreams about the luxury that an expensive restaurant has to offer, or do we read it as an allegory of a desire of someone who has taken the first step by his side and would like an opportunity to take the second?
There are many things to think about when looking at CUT OFF, things to realise and others to question, and reason how we could participate not necessarily in this project but in taking our part in helping and sharing more with the others.
Links for more Information:
http://www.impreint.com
https://impreintofficial.wordpress.com
A Little About Judit Paal:
Judit Paal is from Hungary. She is interested in social environments and human rights in her community. She has collaborated with the artist IMPREINT to organise one of the ‘Save me’ workshops in a school of children with disability.
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Voices from the Margins 
It’s a really interesting article, I have also spoken with the artist, about this social phenomenon that has spread in many countries, specially those with a high immigration rate. I lived many years in USA where is very common to see homeless wandering around in the big cities. There are some small projects to help them, as the metaphorical signal, many of them with a dream of a better life style, but many others that prefer it that way as they think is easier to go around by. IMPREINT’S new project, as you said before, is to call on to our attention this situation that has affected many men, women and also children, especially in Latin America, where is common and even normal, to many people, to see children living on the streets begging for money or food, exposed to many terrible things, and with this new project I hope many people participate to help rescue all that people that need a hand. Those who would really like to give something in return to society.
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Thank you for your very thoughtful comments, Fernando. You have raised such important issues about homelessness and the importance of efforts to raise awareness and reach out to help people who are without homes worldwide.
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enjoy how this flashes images
that eye consciousness, otherwise
is reluctant to see, Carol! 🙂
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Very thoughtful observations and insights, David. Thank you for sharing them 🙂
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Both retired now my mother & father spent their lives running hostels for the homeless. There are enough hostels etc. to give those who do not wish to live in a conventional home, but the flood to my country of migrants within the borderless European Union has overwhelmed my country. Incidently, it is the summer when homeless wander cities, winter on most continents drives them under cover and there are many schemes, in many places reliant on volunteers to solve problems for most governments.
No one in power, will say “close the doors”, “there is no more room” which is reality because they live in a pseudo reality of talking and typing policy through from the lowest secretary to prime minister or president. Other than a few weasels who would more appropriately be dressed in black shirts, claim they have the answer.
Why have I written that? The artist, in this case, is doing nothing to assist the homeless, pointing at it, drawing attention to it, isn’t helping them. I apologise if he donates his life savings and every hour to working with them. He is attracting attention to himself “who does this” and its explanation are a great advertising tool, used for centuries. Create a myth or mystery and others want to know why, where, WHO!
Not, “what can I do to help.
thanks for visit
x
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Thank you for sharing such important experiences and perspectives with such clarity and honestly, Dave. I’m grateful that you raised such important issues about immigration and the reliance of governments on the efforts of volunteers to solve complex problems like homelessness. I too wonder about the wisdom, efficacy, and ethics of efforts that merely focus on an innovator or artist rather than on efforts that bring people together and inspire them to work collectively on solutions.
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Our modern society discards people easily, preys on the poor, and needs an ‘attitude adjustment’ before preaching industry to the homeless. I find many of them more enlightened than born-into-it privileged poseurs.
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Claudia, thank you for sharing such important insights about oppression and the wisdom so many people on the margins have (those “discards” as you say) that far surpasses the knowledge and compassion of those who were born into privilege.
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thanks- I often think staying on the margins of such a society is both a wise and humane thing to do. Being co-opted by it is a sort of failure, but meanwhile we’re all faced with supporting our families. Finding useful work is a great blessing!
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Crucial observations about the challenge of supporting families and still being able to think critically and act with compassion and integrity, Claudia.
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Reblogged this on INDRANEEL and commented:
Hi,
while I am very curious about the exercise and the objective of CUT-OFF, I find it quite endearing.
Keep up the good work IMPREINT.
Best Regards,
Indraneel 🙂
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Thank you for sharing the post, Indraneel, and for your thoughtful comments.
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