I'll Be Your Mirror

Melrose & Curson. 

I had an unexpected day off yesterday so I decided to put up a piece I'd been working on for the past few days. The idea was to include the viewer into the "it gets better" message on a more personal level, that upon reading the message, they would find themselves literally part of it. The inclusion of a mirror seemed like it just might do the trick. I went to a glass making shop and had a couple of the mirrors made to the size I wanted, then cut a stencil of the words, sprayed them on, created the drawing on me holding it, blew it up to the right scale, pasted it up and used a caulking gun to make the pane of mirror glass stick to the wall. 

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out I think. I was excited to do another piece like it in the future.

And then this morning I went to my car and found that it had been broken into... for the SECOND TIME in a month. My stereo stolen, my dashboard ripped out. I had hidden the stereo face, so the whole car was ransacked. The guy even took my spare change! 

But worst of all...

Sitting on the drivers seat, like a giant novelty middle finger. Was it a message or just broken in the rampage? I suppose it doesn't really matter.

Looking back now I have to admit that it's pretty hilarious that someone desperate enough to break into my P.O.S '97 Civic and steal a (no joke) 50 dollar stereo and a handful of loose change, seeing a mirror that says: IT WILL GET BETTER. What I wouldn't give to have that moment on tape. Nothing stings like good natured encouragement when you're in the midst of a really low point. Looking at your own reflection as you rob some stranger, seeing the words of hope sprayed across it, if it was me, I might have smashed it too.

On a happy note, there was a trunk and back seat filled with posters, glue and the parts to another new piece that I hope to put up soon, left untouched. It would have hurt a lot more if they had needlessly destroyed all that stuff just to really twist the knife.

Once, my car was stolen and the trunk held a light kit that I had used the previous night for a music video I shot. The car was found but the kit was never recovered, leading me to wonder if I somehow contributed to the independent production company of an aspiring artist. Maybe he's using them right now to make some beautiful short film about the struggles of living in the ghetto or taking some raw and starkly honest photo portraits of his criminal brethren- for a coffee table book that rich white people will buy and remark about how wonderfully "urban" it all looks. Or maybe he just sold them for crack.

Mysteriously, as with the last time my car was broken into, they took a few of my mix cds. Another hidden camera moment I'd love to see would be them, sitting at home, listening to my kick ass Avett Brothers mix to get pumped for another night of larceny.

Some might say that I'm no better than the thief, my vandalizing mischief being of a similar ilk in petty crime. Perhaps they're right. Though I'd like to think that my work adds something positive to this world on one level or another. I do my best to avoid hitting spots that will cost the city much (if anything) to repair and I do so with what I believe to be noble intentions. I guess it just depends on your stance towards the movement. If you want to cheer that I've been dealt some kind of karmic justice, feel free. I'll wait. 

You finished? No? Oh, sorry, you seemed like you were... Okay, continue.

There, I- oh, sorry, you were just taking a breath, 'thought you were done, go ahead.

Annnnnnnd... now you're finished.

Anyway, I can say this: I am happy that I am not in a place financially where I need to steal car stereos, I'm happy that this happening to me (again) won't ruin my life, I'm happy to be healthy and well educated and I'm happy that if this is the worst thing that happens to me today, I'm a pretty lucky human being.

So if you want to cheer for that, I will be happy to... No? You're good? Okay then, just offering.

Comments

[HoleInMyPantsProductions]

Ahh, can't see- make-up smearing,getting ineyes, tears of frustration for you and laughing at the twist you took. M, I just cannot believe how you turn this type of thing into a laughing experience of mixedup feeloings-can't typecrying agian.