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The Half Decent: Conveying Powerful messages through the Medium of Spray Paint

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Photo Credit: Mania Contemporary Arts

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“You have a responsibility as an artist to be a good person.”

“I was sitting in my studio, and I was painting, and the number seven flashed in my mind. I started wondering, why seven? So I messaged my friend Suzie, and told her that I need to use the number seven for my upcoming exhibition. It was April 7th, 7:45…”

There’s something magical about stepping into a world crafted by the imagination of another. It’s more than just seeing. It’s feeling. It’s breathing in creativity.

I had to take a deep breath, my eyes widening at the sight before me. The walls are adorned with vibrant paintings, each one more intricate than the last, each telling its own story. Every spray can, every colour, a testament to the artist’s passion, but it wad not just the art that captivated me.

I noticed the details in the planning, how the lighting perfectly highlighted each piece, casting dramatic shadows and illuminating the smallest details. This was not just an exhibit. This was an experience, a journey through another’s soul…

Here I was again, making my way downtown to another event. With the summer fast approaching, my emails were filling up, and when this one came in, it caught my eye.

“Join us for the exclusive unveiling of “THE CHARIOT” by Toronto-based multimedia artist THE HALF DECENT. Interact with art lovers, industry professionals, and other creatives at an immersive art exhibition you’ll never forget.  MAY 10, 2024, 7:00pm – 11:00pm  , 214 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON, M5R 2J4,” the email read.

I was instantly artistically aroused, and for good reason. Discovering the work of Mattais (aka, The Half Decent) has revolutionized my understanding and appreciation for creatives who wield the spray can with the same fluidity and mastery as a writer types on a keyboard, or a photographer frames a shot. This artist, whose name resonates with a clandestine allure, transforms urban spaces into vibrant canvases, infusing them with layers of meaning and emotion.

His art, while fully legal, exudes an aura of the forbidden. There’s a sense of raw, unfiltered truth in his pieces, as if the walls themselves are whispering secrets that society often prefers to ignore. His murals are not just visually striking; they are profound commentaries on the human condition, specifically addressing the often overlooked topic of male mental health.

Through bold colors, intricate designs, and poignant symbolism, he sheds light on the internal battles that many men face—struggles with: identity, emotions, and societal expectations. His goal is clear: to spark conversations and bring awareness to the mental health challenges that men endure, often in silence. Each piece is a narrative, a plea for understanding and empathy, urging viewers to look beyond the surface and recognize the depth of these issues.

Of course I wanted to learn even more about this creative genius, so I set up an interview, and he graciously let me into the world of The Half Decent.

“The whole show is about mental health, more specifically men’s mental health,” Mattais tells me. “I have dealt with mental health and depression, and mental health issues run in my family, especially with the men in my family.”

“It is one of the reasons that I choose to use the colour pink for this collection. Pink is feminine colour. The paintings were about embracing what is seen as feminine; emotions. Men usually associate emotions with female energy.”

I was intrigued with his creative process, so I asked him to share a little more about how the images move from his head, onto a canvas.

“I didn’t just want to make pictures,  I wanted people to feel; depending on who looks at it, the feeling will change. It is about impact. It is such a trippy feeling to think; I have these images in my head, I put them on the canvas, and people show up to see my work. They don’t just show up, they actually have feedback, and it is usually very positive.”

“What drew you to using spray paint as your medium of expression,” I quieried?

“When I was young, my dad used to draw birds all the time. It was always the same bird. Something about that stuck with me. Most people are artist at heart; we grow up, and sometimes are artist element gets pushed away. This was the case with me. For a long time, my artistic side was pushed aside. I started spray painting, and this kept my artistic side alive. The more I did, the more art I wanted to do. I very quickly started tattooing.”

“What made you choose spray paint as your artistic tool of choice?”

“I am an impatient person, and spray painting is very quick. It is difficult to get small details with spray paint. It is a crazy challenge to get detail. My canvases are practice for what I want to do in the future, which is murals.”

What challenges have you encountered while working with spray paint?

“There is always division between graffiti and street art. When you are in the subculture, graffiti is about a feeling. It is the feeling of painting illegally. I am creating art with spray paint, so sometimes the challenge is within myself. I am doing more legal things, and sometimes I crave going back to illegal graffiti. It is way more respected than doing a legal wall. In some way it is like Gorilla marketing. You have to get more eyes on it. I find ways to continually challenge myself. Can I render the image that I have in my head? what else can I achieve with this medium?”

“How do you see spray paint art evolving in the future? Are there any new techniques or technologies you’re excited to explore?”

“Evolution’s power lies in its relentless adaptability, a trait mirrored in my journey as an artist. Embracing technology, I have transformed my creative process, seamlessly integrating digital tools to enhance and expand my artistic expression. This fusion of tradition and innovation reflects the essence of evolution, propelling my art to new horizons.”

“I am a referenced base artist; I am good at looking at a reference, manipulating the piece. The only thing that matters is the end result. I use AI, and for some people that is controversial. AI is going to play a big part when it comes to the future of art. It will make it easier to convey what you are thinking.”

The Half Decent’s ability to convey such powerful messages through the medium of spray paint is nothing short of remarkable. His work transcends traditional graffiti, positioning it as a legitimate and impactful form of contemporary art. It speaks to the soul, stirring emotions and prompting reflection, much like a poignant novel, or a compelling photograph. His mastery of the spray can elevates his art to a new level, demonstrating that this tool can be as expressive and nuanced as any other in the creative arsenal.

In witnessing his creations, I’ve come to realize the profound potential of street art. It’s a medium that can: reach wide audiences, break down barriers, and provoke thought in ways that few other art forms can. His dedication to highlighting male mental health issues through such a dynamic and accessible platform is both inspiring and transformative, leaving an indelible mark on those who encounter his work.

We, as humans are guaranteed certain things in life: stressors, taxes, bills and death are the first thoughts that pop to mind. It is not uncommon that many people find a hard time dealing with these daily life stressors, and at times will find themselves losing control over their lives. Simone Jennifer Smith’s great passion is using the gifts that have been given to her, to help educate her clients on how to live meaningful lives. The Hear to Help Team consists of powerfully motivated individuals, who like Simone, see that there is a need in this world; a need for real connection. As the founder and Director of Hear 2 Help, Simone leads a team that goes out into the community day to day, servicing families with their educational, legal and mental health needs.Her dedication shows in her Toronto Caribbean newspaper articles, and in her role as a host on the TCN TV Network.

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Forgetting isn’t just something to be annoyed about, it’s a smart way to survive

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Photo credit - Press Foto

BY KHADIJA KARIM

Have you ever forgotten someone’s name, or where you left your phone and thought, “Why can’t I remember anything?” Forgetting might feel frustrating, but it turns out that forgetting things can actually be good for you. Experts believe forgetting might be an important part of human survival and could even have benefits.

You probably think that remembering everything would be better, right? If you remembered every tiny detail, like what you had for breakfast three weeks ago, or the colour of every car you saw today, you would be overwhelmed. Our brains are constantly receiving information, and if we didn’t forget some of it, we wouldn’t be able to focus on what really matters at that time.

Forgetting helps you clear out information you don’t need, and it helps your brain remember the most useful memories. Think about how hard it would be to focus on important things if your mind was filled with random thoughts. Forgetting helps you stay focused and keeps your mind from getting lost.

So, why would evolution make us forget things? Early humans had to deal with dangerous environments that changed quickly. They needed to remember things that helped them survive, like where to find food, or how to avoid predators. They didn’t need to remember every small detail, like what happened last week. Forgetting information, they didn’t need allowed them to make quick decisions based on what was most important at that moment in time.

For example, if you remember a recent storm, you might make sure to stay inside or find shelter. If you remembered every storm you’d ever seen, it would be harder to make decisions about the present. Forgetting irrelevant details helps you stay on your feet and helps you react faster to new situations. This ability to forget likely helped early humans survive and make better decisions in their everyday lives.

Next time you forget something, don’t be too hard on yourself! Forgetting is a natural part of how our brains work and can actually help you stay focused on the important things. It might seem annoying at times, but it’s helping you make better decisions. Forgetting isn’t just something to be annoyed about, it’s a smart way to survive in a world that’s always changing!

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Blink equity dives deep into the gap between people of colour and decision-making roles in Canadian law firms

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Photo Credit: AI Image

BY ADRIAN REECE

Representation in the workforce has been a topic of conversation for years, particularly in positions of influence, where people can shift laws and create fair policies for all races. Representation in the legal system is an even more talked about subject, with many Black men being subjected to racism in courts and not being given fair sentencing by judges.

The fear of Black men entering the system is something that plagues mothers and fathers as they watch their children grow up.

Blink Equity, a company led by Pako Tshiamala, has created an audit called the Blink Score. This audit targets law firms and seeks to identify specific practices reflecting racial diversity among them in Toronto. A score is given based on a few key performance indicators. These KPIs include hiring practices, retention of diverse talent, and racial representation at every level.

The Blink Score project aims to analyze law firms in Ontario with more than 50 lawyers. The Blink Score is a measurement tool that holds law firms accountable for their representation. Firms will be ranked, and the information will be made public for anyone to access.

This process is ambitious and seeks to give Canadian citizens a glimpse into how many people are represented across the legal field. While more and more people have access to higher education, there is still a gap between obtaining that higher education and working in a setting where change can be made. The corporate world, at its highest points, is almost always one race across the board, and very rarely do people of colour get into their ranks. They are made out to be an example of how anyone from a particular race can achieve success. However, this is the exception, not the rule. Nepotism plays a role in societal success; connections are a factor, and loyalty to race, even if people are acquainted.

People of colour comprise 16% of the total lawyers across the province. Positions at all levels range from 6% to 27%. These numbers display the racial disparity among law practitioners in positions of influence. Becoming a lawyer is undoubtedly a huge accomplishment. Still, when entering the workforce with other seasoned professionals, your academic accolades become second to your professional achievements and your position in the company.

What do these rankings ultimately mean? A potential for DEI-inclusive practices, perhaps? That isn’t something that someone would want in this kind of profession. This kind of audit also opens law firms up to intense criticism from people who put merit above all other aspects of professional advancement. On the other hand, there is a potential for firms to receive clientele based on their blink score, with higher ones having the chance to bring in more race-based clients who can help that law firm grow.

It is only the beginning, and changes will undoubtedly be made in the legal field as Blink Equity continues to dive deep into the gap between people of colour and decision-making roles in these law firms. This audit has the power to shift the power scale, and place people of colour in higher positions. There are hierarchies in any profession, and while every Lawyer is qualified to do what they are trained to do, it is no shock that some are considerably better than others at their jobs. The ones who know how to use this audit to their advantage will rise above the others and create a representative image for themselves among their population.

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“The Pfizer Papers!” Documentation of worldwide genocide

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BY SIMONE J. SMITH

We are living in a world where promises of health and safety came packaged in a tiny vial, one injection was promoted by powerful governments, supported by respected institutions, and championed by legacy media worldwide. Sadly, beneath the surface, a darker truth emerged.

Reports from around the globe began to tell a different story—one that was not covered in the news cycles or press conferences. Families torn apart by unexpected losses, communities impacted in ways that few could have foreseen, and millions questioning what they had been told to believe.

Those who dared to question were silenced or dismissed (the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper being one of those sources). “Trust the science,” we were told. “It’s for the greater good.” As time went on, the truth became impossible to ignore.

Now, I bring more news to light—information that demands your attention and scrutiny. The time to passively listen has passed; this is the moment to understand what’s really at stake.

I reviewed an interview with Naomi Wolf, journalist and CEO of Daily Clout, which detailed the serious vaccine-related injuries that Pfizer and the FDA knew of by early 2021, but tried to hide from the public. I was introduced to “The Pfizer Papers: Pfizer’s Crimes Against Humanity.” What I learned is that Pfizer knew about the inadequacies of its COVID-19 vaccine trials and the vaccine’s many serious adverse effects, and so did the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA promoted the vaccines anyway — and later tried to hide the data from the public.

To produce “The Pfizer Papers,” Naomi, and Daily Clout Chief Operations Officer Amy Kelly convened thousands of volunteer scientists and doctors to analyze Pfizer data and supplementary data from other public reporting systems to capture the full scope of the vaccines’ effects. They obtained the data from the Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency, a group of more than 30 medical professionals and scientists who sued the FDA in 2021 and forced the agency to release the data, after the FDA refused to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request.

It was then that the federal court ordered the agency to release 450,000 internal documents pertaining to the licensing of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The data release was significantly and the documents so highly technical and scientific that according to Naomi, “No journalist could have the bandwidth to go through them all.”

The “Pfizer Papers” analysts found over 42,000 case reports detailing 158,893 adverse events reported to Pfizer in the first three months The centerpiece of “The Pfizer Papers” is the effect that the vaccine had on human reproduction. The papers reveal that Pfizer knew early on that the shots were causing menstrual issues. The company reported to the FDA that 72% of the recorded adverse events were in women. Of those, about 16% involved reproductive disorders and functions. In the clinical trials, thousands of women experienced: daily bleeding, hemorrhaging, and passing of tissue, and many other women reported that their menstrual cycle stopped completely.

Pfizer was aware that lipid nanoparticles from the shots accumulated in the ovaries and crossed the placental barrier, compromising the placenta and keeping nutrients from the baby in utero. According to the data, babies had to be delivered early, and women were hemorrhaging in childbirth.

Let us take us to another part of the world, where research has been done on other pharmaceutical companies. A group of Argentine scientists identified 55 chemical elements — not listed on package inserts — in the: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, CanSino, Sinopharm and Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines (according to a study published last week in the International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice, and Research).

The samples also contained 11 of the 15 rare earth elements (they are heavier, silvery metals often used in manufacturing). These chemical elements, which include lanthanum, cerium and gadolinium, are lesser known to the general public than heavy metals, but have been shown to be highly toxic. By the end of 2023, global researchers had identified 24 undeclared chemical elements in the COVID-19 vaccine formulas.

Vaccines often include excipients — additives used as preservatives, adjuvants, stabilizers, or for other purposes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), substances used in the manufacture of a vaccine, but not listed in the contents of the final product should be listed somewhere in the package insert. Why is this important? Well, researchers argue it is because excipients can include allergens and other “hidden dangers” for vaccine recipients.

In one lot of the AstraZeneca vaccine, researchers identified 15 chemical elements, of which 14 were undeclared. In the other lot, they detected 21 elements of which 20 were undeclared. In the CanSino vial, they identified 22 elements, of which 20 were undeclared.

The three Pfizer vials contained 19, 16 and 21-23 undeclared elements respectively. The Moderna vials contained 21 and between 16-29 undeclared elements. The Sinopharm vials contained between 17-23 undeclared elements and the Sputnik V contained between 19-25 undetected elements.

“All of the heavy metals detected are linked to toxic effects on human health,” the researchers wrote. Although the metals occurred in different frequencies, many were present across multiple samples.

I am not going to go any further with this; I think you get the picture. We have been sold wolf cookies, very dangerous ones. These pharmaceutical companies must be held accountable. I am proud of anyone who has gone after them for retribution, and have received it. Regardless, in many ways, there is no repayment for a healthy life.

REFERENCES:

https://ijvtpr.com/index.php/IJVTPR/article/view/111

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/why-a-judge-ordered-fda-to-release-covid-19-vaccine-data-pronto

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender_category/toxic-exposures/

Pfizer’s ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ — and Legacy Media’s Failure to Report on Them

55 Undeclared Chemical Elements — Including Heavy Metals — Found in COVID Vaccines

 

Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency

FDA Should Need Only ‘12 Weeks’ to Release Pfizer Data, Not 75 Years, Plaintiff Calculates

Judge Gives FDA 8 Months, Not 75 Years, to Produce Pfizer Safety Data

Most Studies Show COVID Vaccine Affects Menstrual Cycles, BMJ Review Finds

Report 38: Women Have Two and a Half Times Higher Risk of Adverse Events Than Men. Risk to Female Reproductive Functions Is Higher Still.

 

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