About the The Abstractaphy Initiative and the grahnArt Project: The grahnArt Project is comprised of a set of initiatives—Drifting Sands Haibun and The Abstractaphy Initiative—based on the arts and designed to foster deeper understanding of, and commitment to, positive change in people’s lives and in their relationships with their fellow humans and all other aspects of life on this planet. Richard Grahn is the founder and developer of the project. The project’s two initiatives are defined below:

The Abstractaphy Initiative – This website (and related projects).

  • Mission: To energize the imagination of viewers, readers, and artists through the experience of art and the written word; to raise awareness of global issues; to inspire others to actively contribute to the well-being of the planet for the benefit of present and future generations; and to highlight the common ground we, the human race, all stand on.
  • The Abstractaphy Initiative is:
    • An online journal of writing and imagery dedicated to raising awareness of global issues and inspiring individuals to participate in the well-being of life on this planet.
    • A growing, body of content derived from submissions made to the journal by its contributors and slated for future publication as a physical collection of art to be exhibited in public spaces, in print. and as presentations for use in education, for example.
  • The Abstracaphy Initiative’s Message to Humanity is simple: We must now set aside our grievances and look at our fellow human beings as partners in a grand collaboration to, in the words of Anne Frank, “improve the world.”
  • Current assets include:

To contribute content to The Abstractaphy Initiative, please see our Submissions Guidelines.

Drifting Sands Haibun – An online journal of haibun and tanka prose.

  • Mission: to enhance the lives of writers, artists, viewers, listeners, and readers through the experience of haibun and tanka prose poetry and related art; to inspire others to actively contribute to the well-being of the planet and its present and future inhabitants; and to highlight the common ground we, the human race, all stand on.
    • The Domain and Journal Drifting Sands Haibun is an online journal featuring poems on a diverse range of topics; a community of poets, readers, volunteers, and contributors; and a platform for freedom of speech. The goal of Drifting Sands Haibun is to engage the reader’s imagination with contemporary haibun and tanka prose poetry. Current assets include:
    • The Drifting Sands Haibun YouTube Channel and Podcast – Ripples in the Sand
    • The Drifting Sands Facebook page.
  • Most issues of the journal are open, topic-wise, with some themed issues on subjects such as “Children” and “Human Rights.”

To contribute content to the journal, please see our Submissions Page.

Abstractaphy

From the words, Abstract and Photography. This term emerged first as an art form based on the manipulation of photographs into abstract works of art. Its application to global issues followed from its application in the haiga form where abstract art was combined with haiku or tanka poetry to make bold statements about the world we live in. In this way, the abstraction comes full-circle and becomes concrete through its marriage with the poetry—providing the visual and emotional impact that propels the poem to new heights. In this combination, we see the real world emerge from the haze of the abstract. The abstract is not destroyed; it is context for the work as a whole.

This is much the way people come to caring about global problems. We see pictures and read stories about atrocities, disasters, and potential consequences of our actions, but all too often, they are simply abstractions to us. We do not see the direct connection to our personal existence. In order to achieve a level of concern leading to action, we need to inject reality into our world of abstraction. Abstraction is a survival mechanism, without it there would be no great achievements of humanity and we would all be walking basket cases from the overwhelming amount of minutia our brains would need to process. So, we have to find a balance between the real and the abstract.

Abstractaphy is the synthesis of the real and the abstract. Together, they allow us to both conceptualize and realize. The Abstractaphy Initiative is an effort to meld these two sides of perception through a marriage of artistic forms. Art is an abstraction of the real world, but it can also unearth the most concrete aspects of life. By blending the voices of many artists on many subjects of global concern, the goal is to unveil universal realities such as the fact that we’re all living on the same planet, we all have dreams, goals, and aspirations, we all have needs such as food, shelter, and clothing, and we all need to feel safe. These are concrete needs, it will take abstract thinking in its many forms (creative, conceptual, theoretical, philosophical, intellectual, etc.) to reach this goal. The trick is to keep it real.

A good question deserves a thoughtful answer. So, here's the thinking:

  1. Connectivity - The big picture goal is to demonstrate how everything on this planet is connected in one way or another. Putting works of art in seemingly chaotic arrangements helps keep the mind from getting stuck in a groove on one particular topic or another, and instead encourages the mind to search for relationships between seeming unrelated problems, solutions, goals, needs, benefits, risks, rewards, and perspectives addressed by the material. This to foster a wholistic thought process when it comes time to zero in on a particular topic facing the globe, the community, or any our many personal relationships. It's a form of brainstorming that seeks to get minds stirring with fresh, positive ideas for a better world.
  2. "A Marriage of the Arts" - Art is transformative in all its forms. This is magnified when they are combined.  As with the "Connectivity" portion of this answer, the movement from form to form keeps the brain active and engaged. It allows for moments of deep reflection and moments of aha! It moves the eyes with color and shape, and even movement (such as with the projection of a video).

The random portrayal of the art here is dictated only by the order we receive it. As people see more content on the site, threads are sure to emerge. A sort of call and response if you will.  The times may also dictate the direction of the flow. Current events have a strong impact on most forms of social media. It's not expected to be any different here.

The Abstractaphy Initiative currently has a very small budget. Our hosting and backup services are bundled with the Drifting Sands Haibun hosting service so there is no additional cost to operate this site other than a yearly domain registration fee. Where the project will eventually need funding is when it comes time to put the physical exhibit together. This will entail printing, framing, matting, shipping and handling, insurance, advertising, and probably storage fees. There will also be delivery costs associated with transporting the collection to and from a host space (such as a gallery). The project also entails a print component such as a companion anthology. This will require funds associated with the publishing process. For these projects we will need to raise money.

We currently have a donation page for the grahnArt Project which covers both Drifting Sands Haibun and The Abstractaphy Initiative. You can find it here. Your one-time tax-deductible donation of any size via our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas will directly support the operations of Drifting Sands Haibun, and, by association, The Abstractaphy Initiative. Your monthly gift, also via our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas, will sustain our work and help us move closer to our goal of bringing a potent and relevant body of work to the public landscape. If you can’t afford to make a donation, we understand. Telling your friends about these important initiatives is also a great way to support them. Thank you in advance for your support of, and participation in, this project.

Sincerely,

Richard Grahn
Founder, The Abstractaphy Initiative and Drifting Sands Haibun

Donate now at Fractured Atlas!

grahnArt is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of grahnArt must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Yes we are, whether we like it or not. As humans, it's folly to think any other way. This journal does something a little different than your standard publication in that the editor(s) also contribute content to the journal. He is, after all, an artist. This is about bringing poetic voices together and this journal is open to all who contribute to its overall goals. This is a collaborative art project as much as anything, so the more voices, the better. We're overjoyed that you've decided to contribute to this effort to raise awareness and help make the world a better place for all. Thank you.

Richard Grahn - Editor, The Abstractaphy Initiative