DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

2009-11-22T00:17:00.000-08:00

Down The Rabbit Hole Artist Statement

It is easy to dismiss acts of social injustice that occur globally and even in our own backyard. We live in a world that often turns a blind eye to adversity and seem to be complacent when personally unaffected. Psychic numbing, according to Nicholas D. Kristof of the New York Times, refers to “a deprivation of compassion, a deadening of feelings that occurs when one is confronted with appalling images, facts, or statistics that overwhelm the mind. It takes a concentrated effort to stay up on global happenings, let alone what is going on in our own neighborhood.” Author and Professor Walter Brueggemann states, “Clearly, human transformative activity depends upon a transformed imagination. Numbness does not hurt like torture, but in a quite parallel way, numbness robs us of our capability for humanity.”

Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery. 27 million people are enslaved today. Victims of human trafficking are subjected to forced and coerced sexual exploitation or forced labor. It can include various forms of involuntary servitude such as work in quarries, sweatshops and farms, enslavement of child soldiers, and prostitution. Researchers say 80 percent of human trafficking victims are female and half are children. The federal government says it is second only to the drug trade as an international criminal industry.

Down the Rabbit Hole is an art installation collaborated by artists Jonathan Fung, Monika Lea Jones, Mark Lee, Erik Otto, and Brandon Robinson. The art installation was located at 357 Ellis Street, in the heart of the Tenderloin District of San Francisco and graphically depicted a realistic environment of a working/living space of a young girl that was a hostage of sex slavery.

As a metaphor for stolen childhood and loss of innocence, guests were initially confronted by an infant’s crib that included a video projection of an innocent girl playing in the park on a swing, monkey bars and a merry-go-round. In the adjacent room, magazine cutouts of American pop culture brood over a bare, putrid mattress. A stash of penicillin, ''morning after' pills” and condom wrappers are among the remnants that lingered along the nightstand and across the hard, cold floor. A continuous loop of Alice in Wonderland falling down the rabbit hole played in black and white on an old television to symbolize non-escapism. The realistic and abstract sound design created a haunting vibe that served to further affect the viewer’s emotional state.

Guests left Down the Rabbit Hole feeling suffocated, heartbroken, uncomfortable and disturbed, but hopefully they were moved to a call for action about the human trafficking issue that looms over San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area. Each guest received a blindfold as they exited with printed websites of agencies we have partnered with who fight in the trenches against this horrific travesty.

viewing schedule

2009-10-31T16:27:00.000-07:00

“Down The Rabbit Hole”, (YWAM building) - 357 Ellis Street

M-F, 11-3pm, call Katie at 415.885.6543 for an appointment; Sat, 11-3 pm, drop by

Jonathan Fung, Monika Jones, Mark Lee, Erik Otto, Brandon Robinson

Partners & Special Thanks

2009-10-31T16:14:00.000-07:00

Down the Rabbit Hole Partners

http://www.becausejusticematters.org

http://www.notforsalecampaign.org

http://www.sagesf.org

http://www.sfsafehouse.org

Special Thanks

Alf Pollard

City Impact

Colin Day Photography

Community Benefit District

Fern Silva

Fight Club

Katie Greenawalt

Lance Fung

Planned Parenthood Mar Monte

San Francisco Grant for the Arts

Santa Clara University, College of Arts & Sciences, Dean's Grant

Tim Svoboda

Youth With A Mission (YWAM)

a call to action!

2009-10-31T13:57:00.000-07:00

In August 2008, I was introduced to human trafficking after attending the Willow Creek Summit Leadership Conference. Prior to the conference, I was naive to the subject but was extremely inspired by listening to Gary Haugen's story, President and CEO of International Justice Mission (ijm.org), an international human rights agency that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery and oppression worldwide. I felt personally challenged to do something instead of allowing my stirred up emotions to dissipate. I honestly didn't know where to begin because human trafficking is such an overwhelming global social justice issue.

I have always believed that one person can make a difference so I instinctively began praying to God to receive some direction where to jump in. I needed to get more informed and educated so I read "Just Courage" by Gary Haugen to gain more insight about how he got involved. I was encouraged to see the film, Call and Response, directed by musician Justin Dillon, where musicians used their passion and talent to create a benefit concert to spread awareness on human trafficking. This film has inspired me to use my gift as a filmmaker and visual artist to do something like Justin. The real catalyst has been seeing girls the same age as my 5-year old daughter being forced to have oral copulation with perverted men. The visual images I saw are forever embedded in my memory and disgust and repulse me. I am outraged by the vicious cycle and the loop holes in our legal system to catch the pimps and corrupt individuals involved.

Next, I researched and contacted agencies that were focused on compassion, which became the theme for an annual local event that I produce called Hallowed: an underground awakening. The purpose of Hallowed is to bring art, faith and justice together through a multi sensory journey through art, film and live music. IJM, along with other agencies, provided awareness for the event. After Hallowed, I was led to meet David Batstone, President & Co-founder of Not For Sale. Batstone leads Not For Sale to connect business leaders and celebrities to raise awareness on this issue. In January 2009, I produced the Not for Sale “Backyard Abolitionist Tour” in downtown San Jose at the Club Oasis. This event raised awareness and donations for the cause incorporating music and spoken word.

In March 2009, I was invited to be a participant for Wonderland and chose to create a human trafficking installation. I collaborated with a talented and socially conscious team of artists comprised of Monika Jones, Mark Lee, Erik Otto, and Brandon Robinson. We are very blessed and fortunate to have partnered with the following agencies whose life work is to provide hope by changing the lives of girls and boys who have been forced down the rabbit hole: Because Justice Matters, City Impact, Not for Sale, Sage, and Safe House. As guests exit our installation they are given black blindfolds with the websites of our partners as a call to action!

artists: brandon, erik, monika, jonathan

2009-10-31T03:23:00.000-07:00

opening

2009-10-31T03:05:00.000-07:00

installation stills

2009-10-31T01:24:00.001-07:00

Down the Rabbit Hole

2009-10-31T00:55:00.000-07:00

video installation

2009-10-31T00:38:00.000-07:00

Down the Rabbit Hole - exposing the truth!

2009-10-17T00:34:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for Wonderland to open on Oct 17th at 12pm at Boeddeker Park in the TL. Down the Rabbit Hole is completely finished. Woot Woot! Today I was interviewed for the SF TV show "Culture Wire." It was a cool interview and the crew thought our installation was awesome. This has been a perfect collaboration between Erik, Monika, Brandon, Mark and me. It's been literally stress free and we all worked well together to achieve the same vision. It's inspiring to see everything come together so well. I am grateful to be working with a talented and compassionate team of artists.

work in progress

2009-10-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate enough to be donated a room by the good folks over at YWAM in the Tenderloin that was exactly what we needed. This week, the crew has been busy painting the walls before we move in the furniture next week.

research

2009-10-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

This project is very different from anything I have ever done, and so far it has been an interesting to be a part of it to say the least. The facts we have uncovered are astonishing and our goal is to create a piece that hits you smack in the middle of the face to spread awareness to this horrible reality that is happening right here in our own backyard. Sometimes the truth hurts and the only way to dish it is straight up with no chaser.

Our cool entry way.

The room is a bit old and sealed off from the outside world. Perfect for the world we plan to create. Starting tomorrow, the transformation will begin. Plenty more updates coming soon.

installation rendering

2009-07-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hey all...here is a sneak peek of the projected installation.

We plan to get all of our furniture from the SF Dump and local thrift stores. Still scouting for the location. Keep you posted with more details.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

2009-07-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

It is appalling to discover how easy it is to dismiss acts of social injustice that occur globally and even in our own backyard. We live in a world that often turns a blind eye to adversity and seem to be complacent when personally unaffected.

Psychic numbing, according to Nicholas D. Kristof of the New York Times, refers to a deprivation of compassion, a deadening of feelings that occurs when one is confronted with appalling images, facts, or statistics that overwhelm the mind. It takes a concentrated effort to stay up on global happenings, let alone what is going on in our own neighborhood. Author and Professor Walter Brueggemann states, “Clearly, human transformative activity depends upon a transformed imagination. Numbness does not hurt like torture, but in a quite parallel way, numbness robs us of our capability for humanity.”

Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery. Victims of human trafficking are subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor, which can include various forms of involuntary servitude such as work in quarries, sweatshops and farms, and enslavement of child soldiers. Researchers say 80 percent of human trafficking victims are female and half are children. The federal government says it is second only to the drug trade as an international criminal industry.

Down the Rabbit Hole is an art installation that will graphically depict a realistic environment of a working / living area of a hostage of sex slavery. Magazine cutouts of American pop culture icons will be taped on one wall next to a bare, putrid mattress, and a stash of penicillin, ‘’morning after’’ pills, and misoprostol – an anti-ulcer medication that can induce abortion. A video projection of an innocent girl playing in the park will be projected into a crib symbolizing a stolen childhood. Also, a clip of Alice in Wonderland will loop on a television set to signify the exploration of escapism. There will be a haunting sound design that will affect the viewer’s emotional state.

Guests will leave Down the Rabbit Hole uneasy but hopefully moved to seek awareness about human trafficking that looms over San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area. Each guest will take a blindfold as they exit that has printed websites of agencies fighting against this horrific travesty to allow guests to respond to the effort to stop human trafficking.

The most often cited numbers come from the U.S. State Department, which estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked for forced labor and sex worldwide each year -- and that 80 percent are women and girls. Most trafficked females, the department says, are exploited in commercial sex outlets. Relying on research from the Central Intelligence Agency, the State Department estimates there are 14,500 to 17,500 human trafficking victims brought into the United States each year -- but does not quantify how many of those are sex victims. Some advocacy groups place the number of U.S. victims much higher, while others criticize the government for overstating the problem.

“It makes me sick to my stomach,” said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. “Girls are being forced to come to this country, their families back home are threatened, and they are being raped repeatedly, over and over.”

California is a top destination for human traffickers who coerce people into the sex trade or hard labor through force or fraud. The report by a 19-member task force of the California Alliance to Combat Trafficking and Slavery says California is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking because of its international border, ports and airports; its booming immigrant population; and a large economy that includes industries that attract forced labor.

There are at least 90 massage parlors in San Francisco where sex is for sale, according to the online sex Web site myredbook.com. The site has been around since 1997 and has more than 55,000 reviews of Northern California sex workers. It is used by johns, yet is also a main monitoring tool for law enforcement. On average, there are about eight women working in a massage parlor, police say. That would mean more than 700 Asian sex masseuses working in San Francisco, based on 90 illicit parlors listed on sex websites and on police interviews.

Today the sex trade is thriving, both globally and in the U.S. In fact San Francisco is host to 43 percent of all trafficked women entering California. The Tenderloin District has been a host to the sex slave industry and contributing to this growing issue.

San Francisco’s liberal attitude toward sex, the city’s history of arresting prostitutes instead of pimps, and its large immigrant population have made it one of the top U.S. cities for international sex traffickers to do business undetected, according to Donna Hughes, a national expert on sex trafficking at the University of Rhode Island.

Women trafficked for the sex industry are predominantly from Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union and South America -- lured to the United States by promises of lucrative jobs as models or hostesses, only to be sold to brothels, strip clubs and outcall services and extorted into working off thousands of dollars in surprise travel debts to their new owners.

Because of the human trafficking phenomena, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) made human trafficking a federal crime. It was enacted to prevent human trafficking overseas, to protect victims and help them rebuild their lives in the United States and to prosecute traffickers of humans under federal penalties. Prior to 2000, no comprehensive federal law existed to protect victims of trafficking or to prosecute their traffickers.

“Trafficking is a transnational criminal enterprise. It recognizes neither boundaries nor borders. Profits from trafficking feed into the coffers of organized crime. Trafficking is fueled by other criminal activities such as document fraud, money laundering and migrant smuggling. Because trafficking cases are expansive in reach, they are among the most important matters - as well as the most labor and time-intensive matters - undertaken by the Department of Justice.” Remarks by Attorney General John Ashcroft, in February 2003.

To raise public awareness about this problem, the U.S. Senate approved a resolution on June 22, 2007 to establish, declaring every January 11th in California as National Human Trafficking Day.