MANY FACES

When I was in high school, my ambition was to be an ambassador of our country. I liked the idea of talking to people from other cultures in their own languages like French, German, English and so many more. I even took up lessons in the first two because I harbored the idea of seeing the best of dramatic cultures in them. 

I also like the idea of representing our country and showcasing to the world our own Philippine culture. In fact, I collected a lot of Philippine books which I could bring with me to the foreign lands so that the foreigners would be able to read books that are written intelligently by Filipino writers. 

However, Marcos changed all that. I despised the idea of representing his dictatorial regime to the other countryfolks. In fact, when I was in Europe in the 80's, I was telling my friends, i am here only because I like the idea of openness, whereby I could read any book I want, including Marxist books, and be with different strangers who have radical principles coming from Nicaragua (which had just liberated herself from a dictator then), El Salvador, Chile (under Pinochet then) and even Africa. In other words, I experienced the melting pot of different political colors all advocating for emancipation of their countryfolks from tyrants and  despots. 

And so, the idea of representing our country was sidetracked in favor of helping to find out how to restore democracy in our country. 

And so, when I read that Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Emmanuel Macron of France were going to meet with the illegitimate president of the United States, I was aghast. I could not imagine them seeing a person who could overturn the electoral rights of the American people through the help of the Russian President Vladimir Putin without any feelings of remorse.

How would they look at him without showing him that they know what he had done, that what he had done was contrary to the principles of democracy?

A, compromise, that's part of diplomacy is it not? The tariff game of the US questionable president, makes them see beyond his democratic transgressions and rather view the needs of their constituents. 

But is it really true, that the various countries would fall should they lose the American market? Tit-for-tat is it not? They could also put up barriers in the trading with the United States. 

But that does not seem to be the case. 

Now the more I see that to be a diplomat requires having many kinds of methods of dealing with the intricacies of politics. 

Question: how long will these entanglements last?

I really admire the capability of the American people to tolerate their situation now. 

Worse of worst, the sitting president aims to join the next elections again for a second term. 

Everyday that passes by for me if I would live in the United States, is like a stab in an open wound. That was like the same experience when we had Marcos and the fake president. 

It is really difficult to be in politics.It is meant for people with great stamina for not looking beyond the physical situation at hand.

Despotism

The term despotism refers to a system of governance where a single entity rules with absolute power at its disposal. This single entity may be an individual like autocracy or a group of people as oligarchy. Despot, originally Greek word means a person with absolute power. The term has been used to describe different kinds of rulers in history, from local chieftain, tribal leader to king or emperor. In despotism, despot has all the powers to rule over others who are considered inferior or subsidiary. Despotism is best described by early statehood, like Pharaohs of Egypt.

Tyranny

According Plato and Aristotle tyranny refers to a system where the tyrant ruled without any law to fulfil his own interest without any concern for the subjects and used unethical and cruel tactics to torture the subjects and used foreign mercenaries as soldiers. In ancient Greece tyrants came to power supported by peasants and growing middle class. Although they had no legal right to rule but they were preferred to aristocracy.

http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/politics/what-is-the-difference-between-tyranny-and-despotism/

LIONESS DIRECTOR

What could still be said about the PLAY, THE LION KING?

Since 1997  it has been onstage and today in many many countries performances are made even in different languages.

Anyway it is a must see for the Filipino people because of its beauty, the lessons it imparts to artists of all genres, and being a truly aesthetically educational yet entertaining play.

1.Who should say what is beautiful and what is not? Is beauty relative? Not really. If the Lion King were to be presented by a Filipino, would it be less beautiful than what Disney has made? Beauty here would have specificities. For example, we don’t have hyenas nor giraffes, except those in the zoo. Neither do we have tigers or lions, but our zoos have.  Ergo, the beauty of animals which play major roles in the play, will undergo redefinitions.

2.There are commonalities, though between our experiences and those to be found in he play.

For example, sidekicks, those who act as valets or servants of the king, can be found in  our milieu.

Political conspirators also abound.

One thing we don’t have is the aristocratic setup, wherein families rule, except the ought-to-be-maligned dynastic rules which legitimize their existence through electoral manipulation.  Lion King is thru and thru a play about royalties, ascension into power and  descension into disempowerment.

Another commonality is the presence of communities which stand together through thick and thin. Lion King presents to us the kingdom of Simba’s father which is tightly-knit, but crumbles under the vicious intrusion of his power-hungry uncle.

Incidentally this reminds me of Hamlet, whose father is killed by his uncle who then grabs  power. And Hamlet returns to unravel the conspiracy.

Still another is our belief that the departed still exercise influence on the lives of those left behind. Hence, Simba’s father reminds him of his duties as the leader of the lion tribe. But lateron, Simba exhibits a different kind of attitude. He sings: “I can’t wait to be king” thereby showing a primary and different view of kingship or leadership, not as a tool for service to the people. It sounds more like a hankering for sheer power, fame, and strength. Here are the major lyrics of the song:

I Just Can't Wait to Be King

by Rowan Atkinson, Jason Weaver, ...

I'm gonna be a mighty king

So enemies beware

I'm gonna be the main event

Like no king was before

I'm brushing up on looking down

I'm working on my roar                                                                                                                    

Oh, I just can't wait to be king

No one saying, "do this"

No one saying, "be there"

No one saying, "stop that"

No one saying, "see here"

Free to run around all day

Well, that's definitely out

Free to do it all my way

This inheritance of leadership within the family is not only African but also very Asian and that older generations of leaders still exercise power over their descendants. This belief could be found among the Indian, Chinese, Korean, Indonesian and many other Asiatic cultures like our tribes. We like to embrace the idea that our lives do not end on earth but go on to the next world. Spiritually we are connected not only here but beyond.

f. The multiple colors that are used in the creation of the puppets are definitely African and Asian as well. We imbibe the colors of our surroundings and project them in our visual products.

But the special artistic mark is there when the shapes and lines of the puppets are defined by the artist herself, the woman director, puppet maker and colyricist of Elton John and Tim Rice,  Julie Taymour. The shapes of the animals are stylized, not naturalistic. Also the artistic designs made use of many geometric shapes which are trademarks of African art.

g. The music though is a hodgepodge of African chants, rock, jazz, ethnic and ballad. They are very captivating. Also the use of African language in writing lyrics is very unique and surprising for me much as I am used to hearing Broadway plays in English all or most of the time.

Then the African speaker of English with local accent is well done; the director had chosen  an actor withput a very western accent. I think that is a recognition of the different individual rearings of English speakers. We may speak English but use our own local accents. However, Simba and his father have opposite accents. I wonder why. Haha.

3.Unique Artistry a. In terms of artistry, I take my hat off to the execution of the animal  puppets and their use of the puppeteers who manipulated them very professionally. That seems to be based on the Japanese puppetry Bunraku which have puppeteers dressed in all black and their faces covered with veil while they hold the puppets in colorful attire and make them the center of attention. In Lion King, the puppeteer’s presence is very much marked. They intrude into the story of the play, unlike Japanese puppet play productions.

b. Spectacle Actually, the presentation had many  spectacular techniques that appealed to the curiosity of the young audience and mine. It  had geysers that spurt vapor here and there without any warnings. At most of the openings of the scenes, the puppets were shadows crossing the stage and then later  the full lights  would reveal all their colors. Then the presentation also made use of pinhole lighting inside of which revealed animals crossing across a black curtain. That was really ingenious.

A stage box had a staircase which could stand for the throne, or the highest peak of the  mountain where the whole lion’s kingdom could be viewed. It was also the last setting            where the grown Simba and his uncle would finally square off.

The shape of the curtain is not square or rectangle but inverted 45 degree triangle with  jagged hems.

Slip ups:

Here are some problems which somehow were disturbing for the audience found 100 feet  above – in the balcony. That’s what I can afford, Folks.

1.When the actors spoke it took us a bit of time to find out who was speaking. The sound  was thrown to the whole theatre and so our eyes had to wander from actor to actor trying  to discover who is talking.

2.Simba the child, has too much western accent which did not match that of his father’s as  I have said before.

3. Also, the colors of the costumes of the major actors blended too well with those of the  other actors. They did not have that feature which made them float above the sea of colors. Hence, again, sifting through the number of people onstage became quite difficult.

4.Then the voice of the adult Simba sounded too weak vis-à-vis his uncle’s. Hence it didn’t seem credible for him to be able to defeat him. Actually, I think that the uncle’s voice should have been aged since many years have passed since he  had talked to Simba.

This is a play that should be watched by everyone in any kind of governance. Surely, they  would be able to pick which animal exhibits the character of his boss or underling. Hence, I  told some Barangay employees in Pasay City to write the secretary of DILG to give them  free tickets to the show or write the pay producers to give them discounted tickets so that  they could watch it and thereby raise their cultural consciousness on political conflicts in  governance.

Also, they could learn a lot in terms of the accomplishments of the director of the play, Julie Taymour, whom I would call the lioness director.

Ay but here’s the rub –getting out of Solaire is a great tribulation. The taxi drivers there do not pick up passengers who are not Chinese or Chinese-looking. “Kasi naloloko nila,” a guard had told me. They are able to pay a huge sum for the transport. Finally the guard was able to get one for me after I had told him to tell the driver  where I was going – to Makati Medical Center.

Quoted: Julie Taymor (born December 15, 1952) is an American director of theater, opera and film. She is best known for directing the stage musical The Lion King, for which she became the first woman to win the Tony Award for directing a musical, in addition to a Tony Award for Original Costume Design.

She has also received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design, an Emmy Award, and an Academy Award nomination for Original Song. She also received the 2012 Director Award for Vision and Courage from the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College in New York City.[1] She was the director of the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and an off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

P.S. By the way, the Lion King first came out in 1997. In 2008, or eleven years after, a half-African ascended into Presidential power in the United States. So, was the play a prophetic sign of his election?

LIONESS DIRECTOR 11

What could still be said about the PLAY, THE LION KING?

Since 1997  it has been onstage and today in many many countries performances are made even in different languages. 

Anyway it is a must see for the Filipino people because of its beauty, the lessons it imparts  to artists of all genres, and being a truly aesthetically educational yet entertaining play.

1.Who should say what is beautiful and what is not? Is beauty relative? Not really. If the    Lion King were to be presented by a Filipino, would it be less beautiful than what Disney  has made? Beauty here would have specificities. For example,  we don’t have hyenas nor  giraffes, except those in the zoo. Neither do we have tigers or lions, but our zoos have.  Ergo, the beauty of animals which play major roles in the play, will undergo redefinitions. 

                                                                                                                                    2.There are commonalities, though  between our experiences and those to be found in he play. 

a.For example, sidekicks, those who act as valets or servants of the king, can be found in  our milieu. 

b.Political conspirators also abound.

c.  One thing we don’t have is the aristocratic setup, wherein families rule, except the ought-to-be-maligned dynastic rules which legitimize their existence through electoral manipulation.  Lion King is thru and thru a play about royalties, ascension into power and  descension into disempowerment. 

d.  Another commonality is the presence of communities which stand together through thick and thin. Lion King presents to us the kingdom of Simba’s father which is tightly-knit, but crumbles under the vicious intrusion of his power-hungry uncle.

Incidentally this reminds me of Hamlet, whose father is killed by his uncle who then grabs  power. And Hamlet returns to unravel the conspiracy.

e. Still another is our belief that the departed still exercise influence on the lives of those left behind. Hence, Simba’s father reminds him of his duties as the leader of the lion tribe. But  later on, Simba exhibits a different kind of attitude. He sings: “I can’t wait to be king” thereby showing a primary and different view of kingship or leadership, not as a tool for service to  the people. It sounds more like a hankering for sheer power, fame, and strength. Here are  the major lyrics of the song:   

                                                                                                                           I Just Can't Wait to Be King                                                                                                               by Rowan Atkinson, Jason Weaver, ...                                                                                                        I'm gonna be a mighty king

So enemies beware

I'm gonna be the main event

Like no king was before

I'm brushing up on looking down

I'm working on my roar                                                                                                                                            Oh, I just can't wait to be king

No one saying, "do this"

No one saying, "be there"

No one saying, "stop that"

No one saying, "see here"

Free to run around all day

Well, that's definitely out

Free to do it all my way             

                                                                                  

This inheritance of leadership within the family is not only African but also very Asian and  that older generations of leaders still exercise power over their descendants. This belief  could be found among the Indian, Chinese, Korean, Indonesian and many other Asiatic  cultures like our tribes. We like to embrace the idea that our lives do not end on earth but go on to the next world. Spiritually we are connected not only here but beyond.     

                                                                         f. The multiple colors that are used in the creation of the puppets are definitely African and Asian as well. We imbibe the colors of our surroundings and project them in our visual  products.           

                                                                                                                                                                          But the special artistic mark is there when the shapes and lines of the  puppets are defined by the artist herself, the woman director, puppet maker and co-lyricist of Elton John and Tim Rice,  Julie Taymour. The shapes of the animals are stylized,  not naturalistic. Also the artistic designs made use of many geometric shapes which are  trademarks of African art.    

                                   

 g. The music though is a hodgepodge of African chants, rock, jazz, ethnic and ballad. They are very captivating. Also the use of African language in writing lyrics is very unique and surprising for me much as I am used to hearing Broadway  plays in English all or most of the time.      

                                                                          Then the African speaker of English with local accent is well done; the director had chosen  an actor withput a very western accent. I think that is a recognition of the different individual rearings of English speakers. We may speak English but use our own local accents. However, Simba and his father have opposite accents. I wonder why. Haha.

3.Unique Artistry a. In terms of artistry, I take my hat off to the execution of the animal  puppets and their use of the puppeteers who manipulated them very professionally. That  seems to be based on the Japanese puppetry Bunraku which have puppeteers dressed in  all black and their faces covered with veil while they hold the puppets in colorful attire and  make them the center of attention. In Lion King, the puppeteers presence is very much  marked. They intrude into the story of the play, unlike Japanese puppet play productions.  

b. Spectacle                                                           Actually, the presentation had many  spectacular techniques that appealed to the curiosity of the young audience and mine. It  had geysers that spurt vapor here and there without any warnings. At most of the openings of the scenes, the puppets were shadows crossing the stage and then later  the full lights  would reveal all their colors. Then the presentation also made use of pinhole lighting inside of which revealed animals crossing across a black curtain. That was really ingenious.

A stage box had a staircase which could stand for the throne, or the highest peak of the  mountain where the whole lion’s kingdom could be viewed. It was also the last setting where the grown Simba and his uncle would finally square off.

The shape of the curtain is not square or rectangle but inverted 45 degree triangle with  jagged hems. 

Slip ups:

Here are some problems which somehow were disturbing for the audience found 100 feet  above – in the balcony. That’s what I can afford, Folks. 

1.When the actors spoke it took us a bit of time to find out who was speaking. The sound  was thrown to the whole theatre and so our eyes had to wander from actor to actor trying  to discover who is talking. 

2.Simba the child, has too much western accent which did not match that of his father’s as I have said before. 

3. Also, the colors of the costumes of the major actors blended too well with those of the  other actors. They did not have that feature which made them float above the sea of colors. Hence, again, sifting through the number of people onstage became quite difficult.

4.Then the voice of the adult Simba sounded too weak vis-à-vis his uncle’s. Hence it didn’t seem credible for him to be able to defeat him. Actually, I think that the uncle’s voice should have been aged since many years have passed since he  had talked to Simba. 

This is a play that should be watched by everyone in any kind of governance. Surely, they  would be able to pick which animal exhibits the character of his boss or underling. Hence, I  told some Barangay employees in Pasay City to write the secretary of DILG to give them  free tickets to the show or write the pay producers to give them discounted tickets so that  they could watch it and thereby raise their cultural consciousness on political conflicts in  governance.


Also, they could learn a lot in terms of the accomplishments of the director of the play, Julie Taymour, whom I would call the lioness director.

Ay but here’s the rub –getting out of Solaire is a great tribulation. The taxi drivers there do not pick up passengers who are not Chinese or Chinese-looking. 

“Kasi naloloko nila,” a guard had told me. They are able to pay a huge sum for the transport.After some time, the guard was able to get one for me after I had told him to tell the driver  where I was going – to Makati Medical Center.  

Quoted: Julie Taymor (born December 15, 1952) is an American director of theater, opera and film. She is best known for directing the stage musical The Lion King, for which she became the first woman to win the Tony Award for directing a musical, in addition to a Tony Award for Original Costume Design.

She has also received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design, an Emmy Award, and an Academy Award nomination for Original Song. She also received the 2012 Director Award for Vision and Courage from the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College in New York City.^[1] She was the director of the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and an off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

P.S. By the way, the Lion King first came out in 1997. In 2008, or eleven years after, a half-African ascended into Presidential power in the United States. So, was the play a prophetic sign of his election? 

John August Swanson     HAND-PRINTED SERIGRAPHS

Daniel

John August Swanson's serigraph Daniel portrays the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den from Daniel 6. Daniel is sentenced to a terrifying death, yet he stands quietly in the midst of the wild lions. John reflects that, "This story still inspires us by its hopeful message. It connects us to those who confront the powers in our world that keep people oppressed, the people who "speak truth to power." It is an optimistic story where good wins and hope is kept alive. Despite seemingly impossible situations, by keeping our faith alive we can survive our "lion's den"."

https://www.eyekons.com/john_swanson_serigraphs/john_swanson_daniel_s

LIONESS DIRECTOR

What could still be said about the PLAY, THE LION KING?

Since 1997  it has been onstage and today in many many countries performances are made even in different languages. 

Anyway it is a must see for the Filipino people because of its beauty, the lessons it imparts  to artists of all genres, and being a truly aesthetically educational yet entertaining play.

1.Who should say what is beautiful and what is not? Is beauty relative? Not really. If the    Lion King were to be presented by a Filipino, would it be less beautiful than what Disney  has made? Beauty here would have specificities. For example,  we don’t have hyenas nor  giraffes, except those in the zoo. Neither do we have tigers or lions, but our zoos have.  Ergo, the beauty of animals which play major roles in the play, will undergo redefinitions. 

                                                                                                                                    2.There are commonalities, though  between our experiences and those to be found in he play. 

a.For example, sidekicks, those who act as valets or servants of the king, can be found in  our milieu. 

b.Political conspirators also abound.

c.  One thing we don’t have is the aristocratic setup, wherein families rule,                    except the ought-to-be  maligned dynastic rules which legitimize their existence through electoral manipulation.  Lion King is thru and thru a play about royalties, ascension into power and descension into disempowerment. 

d.  Another commonality is the presence of communities which stand together through thick and thin. Lion King presents to us the kingdom of Simba’s father which is tightly-knit, but crumbles under the vicious intrusion of his power-hungry uncle.

Incidentally this reminds me of Hamlet, whose father is killed by his uncle who then grabs  power. And Hamlet returns to unravel the conspiracy.

e. Still another is our belief that the departed still exercise influence on the lives of those left behind. Hence, Simba’s father reminds him of his duties as the leader of the lion tribe. But  later on, Simba exhibits a different kind of attitude. He sings: “I can’t wait to be king” thereby showing a primary and different view of kingship or leadership, not as a tool for service to  the people. It sounds more like a hankering for sheer power, fame, and strength. Here are  the major lyrics of the song:   

                                                                                                                           I Just Can't Wait to Be King                                                                                                               by Rowan Atkinson, Jason Weaver, ...                                                                                                        I'm gonna be a mighty king

So enemies beware

I'm gonna be the main event

Like no king was before

I'm brushing up on looking down

I'm working on my roar                                                                                                                                            Oh, I just can't wait to be king

No one saying, "do this"

No one saying, "be there"

No one saying, "stop that"

No one saying, "see here"

Free to run around all day

Well, that's definitely out

Free to do it all my way             

                                                                                  

This inheritance of leadership within the family is not only African but also very Asian and  that older generations of leaders still exercise power over their descendants. This belief  could be found among the Indian, Chinese, Korean, Indonesian and many other Asiatic  cultures like our tribes. We like to embrace the idea that our lives do not end on earth but go on to the next world. Spiritually we are connected not only here but beyond.     

                                                                         f. The multiple colors that are used in the creation of the puppets are definitely African and Asian as well. We imbibe the colors of our surroundings and project them in our visual  products.           

                                                                                                                                                                          But the special artistic mark is there when the shapes and lines of the  puppets are defined by the artist herself, the woman director, puppet maker and co-lyricist of Elton John and Tim Rice,  Julie Taymour. The shapes of the animals are stylized,  not naturalistic. Also the artistic designs made use of many geometric shapes which are  trademarks of African art.    

                                   

 g. The music though is a hodgepodge of African chants, rock, jazz, ethnic and ballad. They are very captivating. Also the use of African language in writing lyrics is very unique and surprising for me much as I am used to hearing Broadway  plays in English all or most of the time.      

                                                                          Then the African speaker of English with local accent is well done; the director had chosen  an actor withput a very western accent. I think that is a recognition of the different individual rearings of English speakers. We may speak English but use our own local accents. However, Simba and his father have opposite accents. I wonder why. Haha.

3.Unique Artistry a. In terms of artistry, I take my hat off to the execution of the animal  puppets and their use of the puppeteers who manipulated them very professionally. That  seems to be based on the Japanese puppetry Bunraku which have puppeteers dressed in  all black and their faces covered with veil while they hold the puppets in colorful attire and  make them the center of attention. In Lion King, the puppeteers presence is very much  marked. They intrude into the story of the play, unlike Japanese puppet play productions.  

b. Spectacle                                                           Actually, the presentation had many  spectacular techniques that appealed to the curiosity of the young audience and mine. It  had geysers that spurt vapor here and there without any warnings. At most of the openings of the scenes, the puppets were shadows crossing the stage and then later  the full lights  would reveal all their colors. Then the presentation also made use of pinhole lighting inside of which revealed animals crossing across a black curtain. That was really ingenious.

A stage box had a staircase which could stand for the throne, or the highest peak of the  mountain where the whole lion’s kingdom could be viewed. It was also the last setting where the grown Simba and his uncle would finally square off.

The shape of the curtain is not square or rectangle but inverted 45 degree triangle with  jagged hems. 

Slip ups:

Here are some problems which somehow were disturbing for the audience found 100 feet  above – in the balcony. That’s what I can afford, Folks. 

1.When the actors spoke it took us a bit of time to find out who was speaking. The sound  was thrown to the whole theatre and so our eyes had to wander from actor to actor trying  to discover who is talking. 

2.Simba the child, has too much western accent which did not match that of his father’s as I have said before. 

3. Also, the colors of the costumes of the major actors blended too well with those of the  other actors. They did not have that feature which made them float above the sea of colors. Hence, again, sifting through the number of people onstage became quite difficult.

4.Then the voice of the adult Simba sounded too weak vis-à-vis his uncle’s. Hence it didn’t seem credible for him to be able to defeat him. Actually, I think that the uncle’s voice should have been aged since many years have passed since he  had talked to Simba. 

This is a play that should be watched by everyone in any kind of governance. Surely, they  would be able to pick which animal exhibits the character of his boss or underling. Hence, I  told some Barangay employees in Pasay City to write the secretary of DILG to give them  free tickets to the show or write the pay producers to give them discounted tickets so that  they could watch it and thereby raise their cultural consciousness on political conflicts in  governance.

Also, they could learn a lot in terms of the accomplishments of the director of the play, Julie Taymour, whom I would call the lioness director.

Ay but here’s the rub –getting out of Solaire is a great tribulation. The taxi drivers there do not pick up passengers who are not Chinese or Chinese-looking. 

“Kasi naloloko nila,” a guard had told me. They are able to pay a huge sum for the transport. Finally the guard was able to get one for me after I had told him to tell the driver  where I was going – to Makati Medical Center.  

Quoted: Julie Taymor (born December 15, 1952) is an American director of theater, opera and film. She is best known for directing the stage musical The Lion King, for which she became the first woman to win the Tony Award for directing a musical, in addition to a Tony Award for Original Costume Design.

She has also received the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design, an Emmy Award, and an Academy Award nomination for Original Song. She also received the 2012 Director Award for Vision and Courage from the Athena Film Festival at Barnard College in New York City.^[1] She was the director of the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and an off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

John August Swanson     HAND-PRINTED SERIGRAPHS

Daniel

John August Swanson's serigraph Daniel portrays the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den from Daniel 6. Daniel is sentenced to a terrifying death, yet he stands quietly in the midst of the wild lions. John reflects that, "This story still inspires us by its hopeful message. It connects us to those who confront the powers in our world that keep people oppressed, the people who "speak truth to power." It is an optimistic story where good wins and hope is kept alive. Despite seemingly impossible situations, by keeping our faith alive we can survive our "lion's den"."

2000  |  Edition of 220  |  35 Color Stencils

Image Size: 21" x 30"

Paper Size: 29" x 38"

Paper: 100% cotton rag, acid free

https://www.eyekons.com/john_swanson_serigraphs/john_swanson_daniel_s