Taken From Revok:

My man from the CHI KC just went to Vietnam to shoot the fucking horrifying aftermath of the US’s use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam war…

KC writes:

During the Vietnam War, the American military sprayed over 18 million gallons of the defoliant named “Agent Orange” on Vietnam. The military claimed it was harmless and was only used to clear the leaves off of trees to spot North Vietnamese soldiers. The harmless aspect of Agent Orange would later be challenged, and proved wrong. The dioxin in Agent Orange can lead to many health and enviromental issues. Health issues range from liver cancer to severe birth defects and miscariages. The dioxin in Agent Orange can actually change a person’s DNA, reacting in diferent people in diferent ways. One of the reasons why studying the effects of Agent Orange is such a monumental task. Not to mention the potential political ramnifications of a full scale study of its effects. Enviromentally, Vietnam and its landscape were forever altered once the herbicide rained from the skies onto the land. Animals disapeared, jungles died never to come back, livestock, fish, and some game became carriers of dioxin, passing it on the human population. People that were not yet born, or never came in to direct contact with Agent Orange, became victims of its effects through the land they lived in. Today, over 3o years later, the effects of Agent Orange are stronger then the day it was sprayed.
The following photos are part one of a larger series. These photos focus on the residents of 2 Friendship Villages, Vietnam Friendship Village outside of Hanoi and Tu Du Friendship Village in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). These Friendship Villages care for and house supposed victims of Agent Orange’s destructive dioxin.

-Check out more of his photos from this project plus many more at his site HERE

These photos are from a shoot I did with Sistah Rosalee as the model, Yuri Hasegawa for the photos and Dianne Garcia as stylist, and I as this lil troublemaker.   Young Rosa is a multi-talented artist who makes music, paints graffiti, models, and skateboards. Check out her work at www.myspace.com/missradhe or her blog missradhesland.blogspot.com/. You can see more of Yuri’s photos at yurihasegawa.com and Young D, well just be on the look out shes on the prowl.

This is a painting MAC and I just did for an upcoming show we have in LA in the fall.  I shot the photo of model Marlena Posa and the rest is history.

 

LA Times recently did a new ad campaign promoting the newspaper.  The theme was iconic figures who represent LA.  The piece MAC and I did on LA BREA and 3rd makes an apearence.

My homie Greg Bojorquez, who I really admire his work came by and hung out with us
every couple of days while Mac and I worked on this piece. There are many more great
photos which he took of the process and experience, but these are the only ones We are sharing at the moment. You can see more of Gregs work at www.mugshotphotography.com

 

I was asked by my friend Ron Finley if I would go speak with students from La Salle Elementary School. His freind and Teacher of a 5th grade class there had recently seen the new mural Mac and I just did called The Knight, and some of her students had expressed interest in it as well. I called Frame and he came with me, and Rons good freind Zubari came and spoke as well. His photos follow. It was a pleasurable experience we talked about art and ways in order to follow what ever path it is that they feel most passionate about. Also Last Saturday I was visiting with a good friend of mine named Steve McKune whom is a councilor over at the ADC High Gain Project, and while I was there hanging out I was asked if Id be willing to go to Olympic High School continuation and speak about drugs and alcohol abuse, to these students. It took me a minute to actually commit to this one because of my own battles with abuse, but I realized that If i could help someone or just share with them a little bit of my life maybe they could relate and see that there is more to life than damaging your future or the lives of those whom love you. Ron, Zubari, Frame and my old friend Alex went with me, It was brief experience but it was well worth it and very fulfilling, It seems like not long ago I was a 5th grader all ready on my journey of graffiti, and a high school student who became a stoner which then led to other drugs and alcohol abuse. I am no better nor worse than any other human being in this world, and I have come to appreciate the great people in my life and feel honored to speak to the bright future of America and offer words of encouragement and support and understanding that we are all in this together, each one of us just has to do our part. I learn a lot about myself in the process so i want to say Thank You.

Here are a few snaps Zubari and Alex Cantarero took of both schools which took place yesterday..

 

Taken from Knowngallery.com

Taken from KNOWNGALLERY.COM

Find out more about KC Ortiz at: wearesupervision.blogspot.com

 

Dame sent me these photos from the time we were at PRIMARY FLIGHT a model and photographer shot in front of EWOK and DAME’s pieces.