Drone Photography

A short story of creating a mural of a movement. On February 6th, 2020, Houston-born, LA-based artist Jonah Elijah and a team of artists created a mural dedicated to the movement of saving and protecting black lives. The mural featured “Black Lives Matter” and a painted jersey of George Floyd, who was a victim of police violence in June of 2020, in front of Jack Yates High School in the 3rd Ward.

One of the places where I have been able to find creativity and solitude is at the #NoahPurifoyDesertMuseum in #JoshuaTree. I think I may have been out here about 5x this summer and always have a restorative feeling after I head back to #LosAngeles. I’ve really admired Noah and his thought process on land and “making” and how that shaped his practice and everyday life. As I strive to create a place where creativity can be extended and expanded, I like to place myself in the visions of Mr. Purifoy in hopes that I can borrow some of his inspiration.

Amidst the silence in the desert is my iPhone, always with a #jazz tune, as it fits so well in the environment. I am often reminded of my grandfather out here and I like to think Noah touching every bit of work there, has something to do with that. You always feel like you have an elder guiding you. Thank you #NoahPurifoy. This film is for research and appreciation purposes. A film by Badir McCleary.

Socially Distanced Summer, 2020 by Badir McCleary. A trailer of spending the summer out in a quarantined world with my DJI Mavic Pro. Being able to view some of my favorite cities and artworks from above gave me a new perspective on our world and our leveled view. Featured cities include #Brooklyn, #Philadelphia, #Baltimore, #LosAngeles, #SanFrancisco, #SanDiego, #BigBearLake, and #LasVegas. #ArtAboveReality.