Black, Black Roses

January 4, 2011

People across the globe were glued to any device available to them broadcasting election information on the evening of November 04, 2008. Some felt a sense of relief. Some were inspired to create efforts in opposition. Some made a living selling t-shirts, mugs, buttons, clocks, blankets and jewelry, among other things, with Obama’s name, image or logo emblazoned on it. Some didn’t tune in. Everyone, it seemed, was aware that we were experiencing and witnessing a “moment” in “history.” Something changed. In this issue of the Fo(u)r 4, we see one place where the election of President Barack Obama made a mark on society, on a body, with RonAmber Deloney’s 11 04 08 AB.

11 04 08 AB

RONAMBER DELONEY

ARTIST. STATEMENT.

Poetry has always been my saving grace. I like to talk about the body, what we do with it and how it’s a social construct. I’m beginning to write about environmental issues now as well. One minute my poem might be about the block and the next line I’m talking about blasting off into space. We’re all pieces of the galaxy coping with the enormous task of being celestial. I ramble, I rant in my poems but I always bring who ever is listening back home. If I can do that, then I’ve written a solid poem and that’s what I aim for, something solid. The tat says “11 04 08 AB” (after Barack). I got the AB from Spike Lee when he mentioned that Obama’s election represents a new era in American history. Yes, I love my president.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

RONAMBER DELONEY graduated with BAs in English and German from Austin College. She then went to Berlin, Germany on a Fulbright scholarship where she did performance research on slam poetry and was a grassroots community organizer with local artists and activists. Some of the cool projects achieved during this time include getting published, completing a spoken word album as The New Night Babies, working with The Last Poets to secure gigs around Europe and moderating discussions with Amiri Baraka and Jayne Cortez at The House of World Cultures. After 3.5 years in Berlin, RonAmber moved back to the US and attended Tisch where she found more direction for her activist interests. In 2011 she will graduate with a M.S.Ed in Adolescent Education from St. Johns University and has been writing instructional units at the intersection of arts and social justice. RonAmber plans to be a school resource instructor and teach an art politics class in high schools. Her objective is to engage students in critical thinking and writing through creative curriculum. The New Night Babies will also release a 2nd album, Lilac and Rapeseed, in the coming months.