![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/ishmael02.jpg\")
One of Victor Palenque’s murals in Miami<\/p><\/div>\n
The Art Affair offers two ways to support the work of OpenDoors: a live auction for those in attendance, and mobile bidding that allows anyone, anywhere to get in on the action. A centerpiece of the items up for bid is what Ramming calls \u201can incredible, iconic piece\u201d created by Palenque.<\/p>\n
Victor Palenque is better known as Ishmael, the signature he affixes to his murals. Some of his work features the name as its central element. But nowhere does a mural explain what’s meant by the name; that’s intentional on the part of the artist. \u201c I knew that if I made it very clear, it wouldn\u2019t cause that mystery,\u201d Palenque says. \u201cI wanted to make people look a little deeper.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking deeper reveals that Ishmael<\/i> is the title of a 1992 novel by Daniel Quinn. The award-winning book explores the author’s concept of \u201cnew tribalism,\u201d with discussion of societal ethics, the threat of global catastrophe and hopes for a sustainable future.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of pointing to symptoms, Ishmael<\/i> is pointing to the sickness,\u201d Palenque says. That sickness is the manner in which food is made. \u201cWe’re starting to see how much industrial agriculture is the main culprit,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Palenque says that Quinn’s novel is responsible for bringing him back to art. \u201cIn ’98, I was going to work for Verizon Wireless,\u201d he recalls. \u201cI read the book, and kind of went crazy, back into being an artist. It was 1999 when I started to paint under that name.\u201d His hope is that the enigmatic nature of his murals will lead people toward reading, understanding and acting upon Daniel Quinn’s ideas.<\/p>\n
Victor Palenque shares the Ishmael<\/i> author’s undercurrent of guarded optimism. \u201cIt\u2019s time for adaptation more than stopping anything,\u201d he says. \u201cNow it\u2019s time to adapt. And Quinn\u2019s thinking is that it’s humanity’s next great adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n
That concern for the big picture combined with an optimistic spirit lines up with OpenDoors’ mission, says Jen Ramming. \u201cQuinn\u2019s books dig deep to offer solutions to huge global problems,\u201d she says. \u201cWe hope to help our students and families do the same on a much smaller scale, always questioning entrenched societal norms and assumptions about what is possible and what their potential really is.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/ishmael01.jpg\")
An example of Victor “Ishmael” Palenque’s street art in Asheville<\/p><\/div>\n
Ramming says that OpenDoors uses education as a means of breaking the cycle of poverty. \u201cAnd this is no small task, being that poverty stems from countless inequities and imbalances of power for children, especially children of color,\u201d she says. \u201cWe take great inspiration from thought leaders, including local artists like Ishmael and author Daniel Quinn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several student projects were scheduled to be showcased at the Art Affair. One, \u201cRocks in the Backpack,\u201d involves youth working with Palenque to make stylized \u201crocks\u201d representing the types of burdens faced by kids coming from under-resourced homes, Ramming says. \u201cEach rock has words that help illustrate barriers like inadequate transportation, food deserts, undiagnosed dyslexia and violence,\u201d she explains. \u201cThese giant artistic rocks will be carried around by performers for all guests to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cArt has always been used like an antenna to communicate with the masses,\u201d Palenque says. \u201cAs artists, sometimes it\u2019s our job to try to tell the story of what we\u2019re going through and what we see. We can bring some information to help the culture move forward, give options and open people\u2019s eyes. So, that\u2019s the way I\u2019ve used art: as a tool.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just pretty pictures. Sometimes there’s a story that needs to be told.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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