Dear New York,
It’s been 3 months, and like all good things, they must come
to an end. You’ve been kind to me. I can give you that. Your people have helped
me, when I’ve needed it. Not saying they always knew which direction a subway
train was going in, but they’ve tried. You’ve certainly enabled me to do my
work here, as you’re a city of artistic glory. A beating hub. A magnet with
monumental pull. You attract talent from all over this Earth to come and ‘make
it’ here. The American dream and all that comes with it. I’ve seen talent like
no other. A congregation like no other. I’ve met so many artists, in particular
autistic ones, which is exactly what I hoped for. It’s been amazing to see what
type of spaces you have available to us. The support. I feel honoured to have
visited all the galleries and pop-up spaces. To see the amazing street art
beckon at me from across the sidewalk. There’s always a surprising message. For
everyone has something to say in New York! For that’s what you attract, what
you provoke. And freedom of speech is what you give the people. I likened the
city to an artist platform; an outlet for souls with a message to the world. I
hope you get heard amongst the din.
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| Art in unexpected places |
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| Andy Warhol exhibition at the Whitney Museum - a favourite |
For all the great things, come the shortfalls. Race is
tense, at times. You can feel it on the surface bubbling away: how quickly
people can become provoked and then how suddenly sides are taken. Even over a
seemingly innocent exchange. The heat rises fast. And that’s not just the
humidity of the summer heat we’re talking about. Your past is recent. People
remember. The stories are unfolding and finally being told. It’s been
fascinating and horrendous to learn about.
There’s a great deal of poverty and that has made me sad.
The subway holds up the homeless who ride from one dead end to another. The
trains can smell of sick, faeces and rotten food. It’s quite gross. But we’re
all so dependent on the subway. For A-B we must go. The homeless prevails, as
with many cities, large and small, around the world. I know it’s complex, so I
won’t say too much on the topic, but rest assured I’ve acknowledged the issue.
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| The New York shoreline as the sun begins to set... |
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| New York marathon: the most incredible event I've seen, bringing together all communities of people, in one giant street party :) |
The healthcare insurance is something I think I’ll never get
over. I felt like I was going back to the stone ages. I didn’t realise that not
everything is covered by it and how expensive it can be. It’s the difference
between surviving or not. Break or lose. Such a lottery. Yet it’s a basic human
right! For any country and person. I view the NHS with completely new lens now.
it’s not perfect, sure, but it’s there for you. For everyone. Like it or loathe
it.
Which gave way to me thinking that you feel a little like a
third world country. As I came to learn more, I understood about the lack of
food safety standards and laws that the food industry abides by. Or lack of. Ps
– I didn’t like your food. It was expensive and often of poor quality. And not
yummy. It felt like a game of hit and miss. And I don’t like that when it comes
to my basic need. Your employment rights aren’t great either. Women have less
rights compared with men – just look at the maternity leave one gets. It ain’t
on…
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| Bushwick Street Art |
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| The vibrant streets of New York |
Yet everyone wants to come and live here. Why, New York..? I
was constantly gobsmacked. Sure, it’s a fun and exciting city - great for a
holiday. But to live here? Yes, if you’re rich. But that applies to anywhere in
the world. Yet a large proportion of people in your city are struggling. It
feels like you’re at melting point. Many are living illegally. Expired visas
and all that jazz. Some never have one! These stories are not uncommon, and
many people work without papers. You shocked me when I first arrived, but I soon
became desensitised. For it’s so tricky to come and work in the States, that
it’s quite normal to find alternative ways to be.
You’re like this façade. A façade of glory that you present
to the world. Yet underneath you’re rotting away. The branding is sensational,
and it holds you up. But underneath you’re failing. Collapsing. How long will
it take…? I feel it’s happened so slowly, gradually, that you haven’t realised
it yourself. It comes down to outsiders to tell you this. But what if you’re
not in New York? What if you’re in a town which is rural and far from the
external influences of the world? Well, the word opiates probably means a lot
to you for starters. for opiate addiction is on the rise in parts of the
States. And that’s a whole other blog and a half, but it’s been happening for
some time now, and what does that say about the future of the country? The
Government shutdown is nearing the end of the third week as I write this. The Wall
and Trump scare me in equal measures.
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| The amazing murals which would suddenly appear... and then there's the insane '6-layer-parking' dotted around the city |
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| People love New York and are drawn to it. A real magnet... |
New York, New York. You’ve given me a lot to consider and
ponder. And I can assure you that I’m never going to forget you. You astound me,
and I will always follow you - from afar. Thank you for the experience. Thank
you for the learnings. Please take care. I hope you get the investment and care
you need.
With love,
Mahlia x
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| Me in my shared studio space at Con Artist Collective |
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