Casper Banjo

[loracs]

Unfortunately, it's been confirmed.  It was Casper who was shot and killed by police last Saturday.  Everyone is shocked.  He was a gentle, soft-spoken man.  I own an embossed print of his work.  He donated to Studio One years ago (1992?) for our silent auction and I was high bid.  I brought it into work with me today and hung it on the wall.  I've placed a copy of the article from the newspaper next to it.  At lunch, I'm going to buy a flower to place there also.  

I'm not mad at the police, I know the pressure they are under.  I wish the non-lethal weapons arrived earlier, they were on their way.  It's the larger system that carries the shame of his death.  A health care system that didn't monitor his drugs; he complained many times to his doctors and his friends that he didn't like how the drugs made him feel.  An economic system that caused a 71-year-old man to fear he would lose his low rent apartment and end up on the streets.  He was confused and scared; the system let him down big time.

 

Did he know what he was doing when he raised a replica of a gun towards the police?  We'll never know what he was thinking, but I can't believe that the man who created such incredible art, the man who would sit in my office at Studio One to wait for his friend and my co-worker (T), or sometimes he just came to rest between his errands, the man who was so concerned when I fell outside his apartment as I helped him move a printing press, the man who always wore a cap and a doleful expression until he smiled with a sideways glance at you to make sure you got the joke, that this man’s life ended with a single shot from a policeman’s gun. Too much violence. Too much sadness. Can I go crawl in a hole now, please.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_8610629

Comments

[auntysocial.livejournal.com]

That's so shocking and heartbreaking. I don't know what to say.

[waywardcats.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear about this. My thoughts are with you and with T.

Hugs,

[clever-doberman.livejournal.com]

you've captured the complexity of feelings and utter despair perfectly in your words.

senseless.

my love to you and T.

[merujo.livejournal.com]

What sadness. What a loss. And what a indictment of our elder health care system (or lack thereof.) I went to the California Society of Printmakers website to see some of his work: http://www.caprintmakers.org/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=userProfile&user=128&Itemid=30

He had a gift and very clearly a unique vision.

So sorry.

[loracs.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this link. With the exception of the piece I own, most of his work I've seen in passing or on a postcard advertising a show he was in. I understand he wasn't into computers, so he didn't have a lot of his work digitized. As the art world changed, he had to get more of his work in that format, but compared to his full body of work, only a very, very, small portion of it is available on-line.

[wordweaverlynn.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry. This is dreadful news.

[clawfoot.livejournal.com]

How awful. I am so sorry to hear this. My thoughts are with you and yours.

How heartbreakingly senseless. :(

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Oh, no! I'm so sorry, sweetie!

*HUGS*

[tracytreefrog.livejournal.com]

So Sorry My thoughts are with you! This is so sad in so many ways.

[firecat]

I'm so sorry.

[cassidyrose.livejournal.com]

I am very sorry. Please pass along my condolences to those who knew and loved him.