Homogeneity is a Myth

Michael B. Maine, www.michaelbmaine.com

© 2016 by Michael B. MaineAll photography © Michael B. MaineHair/Makeup by Juel Bergholm

To my sister, Jessica.

I’ve always loved you.

Homogeneity is a Myth was largely inspired by Cynthia Cockburn’s book The Space Between Us: Negotiating

Gender and National Identity in Conflict. In this work, Cockburn explores how various groups of women

have worked together across borders to see the humanity in each other during times of national conflict

when the rhetoric of sameness is used to breed hostility.

In this venture I explore areas where identity-based conflict occurs daily. Dismissive language and

behavior robs us of the richness that exists in the individual by reducing the totality of their being into a

limited, pre-existing story. Any group of people is just that—a group of people—each person with their own

unique constructions and expressions of identities, hopes and dreams, perspectives, and lived experiences.

I’m not creating this work for any one particular audience. This is a visual manifestation of the

exploration of things that keep me up at night. Additionally, it is a celebration of the people who trust me and

this project enough to allow themselves to be vulnerable and intimate in order to ignite curiosity in others. My

goal with this exhibition is to temporarily suspend judgement and invite you to catch a glimpse inside each

individual. Thank you for being here and being curious. Thank you for giving yourself and others the rare gift

of attention.

Michael B. Maine

I’m an artist—Illustrator and Graphic Designer, and art educator (docent).

My interests are not defined by preconceived notions of race and gender. I love

history, art history and Opera and Early Music, for example. And I practice yoga.

When I first moved to the West Coast (Bay Area) I felt free from the narrow spaces

of the East Coast (and its history and conventions) and I had a real connection

with the vast dramatic western light and landscape and sense of possibility. It

sent my heart soaring.

I tend to relate particularly well to people twice my age. Most of my closest friends

are over 60, and I feel a special bond with the Baby Boomer generation.

I wish for the work I do as an artist to reach far and wide—across media, across

generations, across cultures, without boundaries or specific labels about what my

work is and what it is not.

The only situation I feel “me” it’s when I am with my son and people I feel are

sincerely true with me. They bring so much happiness and peace to me. My son

is my big fan of everything I am accomplishing; because of that I don’t know the

word “failure.”

I am an ageless creative black man...As long as I am able I will defy being placed

into a time or category.

I am a Board Certified M.D. Physician. I was an Ob/Gyn and Emergency Room

Physician who worked at a North Carolina Emergency Room Hospital where the

White Husband of a woman refused to have his wife examined by a Black Man

(Me)…Unless she was dying or bleeding to death. Which was exactly the option. I

did examine her and stopped the bleeding. Erase Racism one patient at a time.

I feel ME when I see, feel, and touch ART. The HUMAN is able to always see and

capture the unseeable and unthinkable in so many ways. I feel honored to live in

a world with ART.

I’m a first generation immigrant and I could join the Daughters of the American

Revolution.

I expect people to take accountability and ownership for their words, actions, and

expressions. I’m deeply loyal to the people I choose.

I enjoy the periods of transition. I like the act of preparing food. I like the process

of moving (especially to a different country). I like cleaning out my sock drawer.

The time when I feel the most myself is when I am shooting photos. I love working

as a model, but the feeling I get from capturing images from my perspective that

are true to how I see the world is exhilarating. Something people might not guess

about me from my appearance is that I actually love colour! I always wear all

black but I love being surrounded by flowers and colourful lights and things of this

nature.

My internal world is a creative mix of analytic and emotional.

I’m proud that, as a poet, I developed a trauma-informed therapeutic poetry

program that serves homeless and incarcerated youth around the country.

I love being around happy children.

Food brings people to the table. I show my roots and my feelings through cooking

and language. That is how I want people to see me.

I am not as delicate and weak as I look physically.

I am a change agent with resilience and determination.

I feel most me whenever I can integrate arts/fashion with charity/philanthropy;

I call this Fashion Integration (similar concept as the national movement of full-

health integration).

Special Thanks:Juel Bergholm (Hair/Makeup)

Victor Loo (Creative Consulting)

People Featured (In Order of Appearance):Kimberly DerianaCeleste EricssonMichael Cepress

Kate MensahDr. Michael GreerMeera Bhardwaj

RantRichard Gold

Radha SadacharanVictor Loo

© 2016 Michael B. Maine

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Michael B. Maine.