Ozonḓu Chronicles: The Artist on the Street

We have all seen him. He is everywhere. There by the traffic poles he stands, and most of the time he is hanging around shopping markets or simply walking through town with his many barbed wires. He sometimes stops at our cars or tries to get our attention when we have just stepped out of the shopping mall.

Most of the time, we tend to ignore him or walk away hastily. We don’t have the time, nor the interest. In many cases, we find him chasing after us.

“Hey Madam, can you just look at what I have got here? Something nice for you, Madam!” he screams hurriedly, not wanting us to get into that taxi or our cars before he gets to show us what he has made.

Because of our busy schedules, our lack of interest, or at times our fear of him, we most often never get to see his art.

He is the “artist on the street”. The very best at what he does, because he turns everyday equipment into something of value and, most importantly, into art.

They are true geniuses. Like Michelangelo, who saw art in every block of stone, they see art in what could easily be classified as garbage: rusted, tangled barbed wire or an old block of wood tossed away.

And yet, when they knock on our car windows or chase after us, we neglect to see them. We neglect to see what they have to offer. But I tell you this: within them they carry the spirit of a true artist: the ability to carry on with their work even in the toughest of situations.

They believe in the environment and its sustenance. With their quirky clothes and their courageous, brave hearts, they dare to venture where many have failed and few have travelled. They have a dream, and they live for it, while being humble and gallant at the same time. There is much to learn from them; I know this for sure.

I believe they are amongst the greatest artists I have ever seen. They have the ability to turn simple barbed wire into a toy for one’s child or into key holders. At times, they turn wood into beautiful household decorations. They see opportunity where many have overlooked it.

As I go off to school or to my usual day-to-day adventures, I see a true artist, one who inspires me. There by the street corner he stands, or at the traffic lights, portraying a beautiful love story for those who dare to listen – a story of courage and endurance, and most importantly, a portrayal of the truest essence of who we really are: the ability to be passionate about what we do, while never lacking empathy and love for humanity as a whole.

Now I know I can do anything.

I know that there is possibility in everything, even in the simplest and most deranged of things. And I have the artist on the street to thank for that.

So next time he knocks on our windows and we feel as though he is invading our space, let us remember that he took the time to look at barbed wire most of the time in the form of rusted steel and dreamed of it becoming something of value, and most importantly, saw to it that it did. The least we could do is listen and hear what he has to offer.

He is the fellow on the street with his many wires, along with natural materials he has turned into art, carrying them around wherever he goes. He waits patiently through rainy days, cold days, and most of the time blazing hot days. He waits for that one customer who will take interest, that one customer who will truly see him.

So we see him running hastily after us, out of breath and gasping for air. We pretend not to notice him or walk away quickly, hoping he has got the hint.

“I don’t have money!” we scream before he even approaches us.

And yet all he asks of us is to see him. To hear him. To notice his art.

The question to ask is: how many of us actually do?