"Not until we dare to regard ourselves as a nation, not until we respect ourselves, can we gain the esteem of others, or rather only then will it come of its own accord."
- Albert Einstein
"We are a part of a rhythm nation"
- Janet Jackson
"To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right."
- Confucius
"One nation under a groove, gettin' down just for the funk of it. One nation and we're on the move, nothin' can stop us now."
- Funkadelic
Race, religion, gender, sexuality, nationality - tools of identity, symbols of both empowerment and discrimination. People dress in the symbols of their culture, the symbols of who they identify themselves as and who they aspire to be. Many have used markings on the face - tattoos, paint, scars, adornments - to communicate a place in the world, a place in a society. And as cultures, societies, and nations break down - the empowerment these symbols connect to is broken and lost. Sometimes we have to create new ones to take their place. And thus find our place once again.
These images I've created under the banner of SAMNATION are characters both superficial and genuine in their own special way. They proudly and boldly declare who they are and at the same time hide behind a veil or mask. I like them a lot and I hope you do as well.
Please feel free to with feedback, questions, suggestions or requests.
