When fashionable Southern California artist Darren Pearson, who additionally goes by the identify “Dariustwin,” noticed the movies and memes circulating round Australian breakdancer Raygun on the Paris Olympics, he knew precisely what to do.
In a video posted to his numerous social media platforms that boast over one million followers, he created an animation of Rachael Gunn, also called “Raygun,” as a tribute to the B-girl who went viral for her unorthodox dance strikes. The animation consists of 44 gentle portray photographs of her dancing on the Olympics that he created close to Frazier Park, about an hour and a half north of Los Angeles.
Pearson is understood for his gentle work, which he creates utilizing a long-exposure images method and a transferring gentle supply to “paint” towards the backdrop of a darkish sky and brilliant stars. The San Diego native travels throughout California to search out the most effective places for his gentle work.
“It was a tribute to her simply doing her factor and it wasn’t meant as a diss or something like that,” he mentioned. “I used to be type of like that is iconic and persons are going to recollect this factor.”
However some viewers have used the video to proceed the adverse discourse surrounding Gunn, a dancer that they imagine didn’t need to be at this 12 months’s Olympics.
“This was a lot extra spectacular than the unique efficiency,” one remark learn, receiving over 3,000 likes.
Artist Darren Pearson created an animation of Rachel Gunn, also called “Raygun,” as a tribute to the B-girl who went viral for her unorthodox dance strikes.
(@dariustwin)
Others referred to as her an insult to the spirit of the Olympic Video games and demanded that she be held accountable for “stealing an Olympic seat.”
“So many individuals are a lot extra proficient, her personal firm shouldn’t be allowed to award her a seat,” one other remark learn.
Pearson mentioned he didn’t imply to direct any negativity towards Gunn and created the animation as a technique to have enjoyable together with her viral efficiency.
“Folks type of took the ball and ran with it as they do,” he mentioned. “She did what she did and I do what I do.”
Gunn spoke out towards the hate surrounding her Olympic efficiency, saying in a video posted to Instagram on Aug. 15, “I didn’t understand that that might open the door to a lot hate which has frankly been fairly devastating. Whereas I did go on the market and have enjoyable, I did take it very significantly. I labored my butt off getting ready for the Olympics and I gave my all, actually.”
Gunn began coaching and competing as a B-girl in 2012 after seeing an all-girl dance battle. By day, she is a lecturer at Macquarie College in Sydney, Australia, the place she obtained her bachelor’s diploma and PhD in music and cultural research.
Some got here to her protection on Pearson’s Instagram submit, condemning the adverse feedback and praising Pearson for selecting to make her efficiency into a bit of art work.
“Pleased to see somebody making artwork as a substitute of constructing enjoyable of her,” one remark learn. “I might hate to be within the public eye lately.”
