Apr
Todd Herman: Nothing Short of Robinhood
Posted under Exhibitions, |
When we think of artists, we don't generally think of a modern-day man in green tights; at least that is not often my first inclination. But Todd Herman doesn't appear to be an ordinary kind of guy. He is a trailblazer among even visionaries, in that he not only stimulates thought and theory about the arts relative to those less fortunate members of society, but he essentially "steals" the more "elitist" art forms of filmmaking, photography, curating, and production and gives his time and talents in those areas to the marginalized men and women from cities and countries from around the world.
While Mr. Herman is involved with too many projects to name in this article, there are two charitable organization (of which he is the co-founder) that are spearheading the dissemination of intentional messages about disparities in our society regarding sexuality, disabilities, grief and loss, while using various art mediums to make those messages timely and accessible to the public.
Along with performer and artist Amanda Cosler, Todd founded The Dancing Tree, a San-Francisco based foundation that uses the method of cohesing freedom of artistic expression and creating a forum for some of the most neglected members of society to self-express; they are given a supportive venue in which to use creative and empowering skills and abilities to self-advocate. Diversity is supported, but a person's individual voice and reason for excavating and developing his/her own story is emphasized.
As a key figure in The Dancing Tree, Todd specifically focuses on the importance of listening to his students, preserving the integrity of their own ideas. The ultimate goal, then, almost has a community organizing impact on students, encompassing a different approach to the world where others can hear their voice and see them from a different perspective.
Todd is also a collaborating founder of Life Like Films (along with Francis Kohler, San Francisco-based visual artist), which aims to create films that eliminate sensationalism, stereotypically or narrowly-defined outcomes, and acknowledge the beauty in simplicity (specifically as it relates to persons with disabilities). These films are about change in an industry bombarded with excitement, and about the interplay between fact and fiction in a world that often misinterprets one for the other. The 52-minute inaugural film, Life Itself, captures the experience of artists and clients at local agency. From that time, Todd has been part of the collaborative producing such films as Steps of the Way (a Moroccan-based documentary that addresses the lives of men and women living in an impoverished country and coping with physical disabilities) and Bath (a four-minute film that captures an aspect of the relationship between a man with cerebral palsy and his full-time caregiver). Look out for the next film, Emmit House.
Todd Herman is a model for those of us who want to use our talents to advocate for others. In this there is no doubt.
For more information about Todd Herman, or links to any of these organizations (and the chance to purchase work, attend openings or join a collaboration), go to http://www.todd-herman.com/resume/cv.shtml
By Blythe Landry
