Tag: Politics

The American Monument in 2020

What should we do with unwanted American monuments? Our answer will hinge on the social and historical contexts surrounding the monument and on the ideological stances of those involved in the debate – who doesn’t want them, who does, and why?  In the summer of 2020, this question became unavoidable as millions of Americans called for the removal, destruction, recontextualization, or preservation of Confederate and colonial monuments across the United States.1 In […]

Détournement: How Artists Co-opted the Statue of Liberty

During the summer of 2020, Artists borrowed symbolism from history to better convey their message to the public. One of the most commonly used symbols used was the Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island in a form of détourement. While some artists, use the statue as a call of everlasting hope for a better future, other artists call for reconstructionism. Either way, the use of this iconic symbol is an effective way of demanding racial

Laying on the Line: Media Coverage of #StopLine3

Art is central to the Indigenous-lead actions against the construction of the tar sands pipeline Line 3 in Minnesota and Ojibwe territory. Using large-scale puppets, costumes, traditional clothing and performance, Water Protectors fight to represent the human and non-human lives threatened by the pipeline. Their consistent documentation, live-streaming, press-releases, and social media campaigning around these art dominant actions spread awareness of the violence imposed by Line3 while celebrating the sacredness of the Minnesota, Ojibwe, and Aanishinabe lands.

Disciples in Dialogue: Efficacy of Didactic and Ambiguous Anti-Racist Signage Outside Kirkwood Churches in St. Louis, MO

As the events of 2020 ravaged our communities mentally, physically, and spiritually, a plethora of signage emerged from institutions of worship. The church sign was engaged as a site for activist dialogue in cities like St. Louis and well beyond. This project is an in-depth look at a number of church signs that have appeared in St. Louis County, as well as a cursory examination of church signs that went viral over the course of 2020.