Status Power

Status Power

One of best parts of Tate’s Status Power Late night show “From historic royalty to YouTube fame, how has art displayed status,” was the music. A DJ set followed by Native Sun, with Sarina Leah opening their set a capella with arresting beauty. She is soon to become a mother and the idea of status could arguably begin with an unborn child.
Voice is an indication of how we view our status. A healthy baby knows no bounds regarding voice and when a baby cries – we know about it. There is no status here, just a need to survive. Growing up we learn that using our voice is less important than words. Our voices modulate and change with our perceived status. Today, children are given a much better chance of expressing their needs and opinions at school. When children join street gangs where obtaining status means being a bully or being bullied, you can hear almost overnight the change in vocal quality. It’s not until we go into the outside world and desire to belong and succeed, that our voice starts to become an issue because we have to express ourselves among strangers.
It’s “not for nothing” that wealthy parents send their children to public school where pupils are taught to value themselves and express themselves in a way that is destined to be heard.
The poet and performer Byron Vincent, from a background of childhood poverty, makes us laugh with his anecdotes of desperate shyness and inability to talk in social situations. In Drama Comedy situations around the world, much is made of characters who are misunderstood, because they’re either too nervous to say what they mean or have clearly misunderstood their status within a group.
It’s all to do with status and how well we handle it.
Curated by 15-25 year olds the Status Power at the Tate was a great evening with some great idea and some great voices.

Byron Vincent
Byron Vincent