Art > Updraft America
2016
Updraft America
2016
Updraft
America
Are you addicted to
political extremism?
As Congress grows more and more extreme, we have to ask: Who is sending these folks to Washington, DC? And why are they spending most of their time engaged in political warfare, while the nation suffers and little gets done?
Long before I took my first art class, I worked in the United States Senate. Even then, I was amazed at how much partisan politics entered into decision-making. In 2015, with yet another threatened government shutdown, I purchased a year's subscription to "The Congressional Record", a publication that codifies everything that happens on the House and Senate floors--their entire annual "work product.
I began folding. I folded each page into a paper airplane. I folded on trains, on planes, in doctors’ waiting rooms, everywhere. Strangers asked to help; family and friends pitched in. People in 13 different states helped fold until we were finished. Then, I striped half the paper airplanes red, the other half blue.
I began folding. I folded each page into a paper airplane. I folded on trains, on planes, in doctors’ waiting rooms, everywhere. Strangers asked to help; family and friends pitched in. People in 13 different states helped fold until we were finished. Then, I striped half the paper airplanes red, the other half blue.
In September of 2016, I installed in American University’s Katzen Museum 10,752 paper airplanes, representing an entire year of Congress’ efforts. The planes rose from opposing bins in squadron-like formation. Those few that “crossed the political divide” gained the color purple—the color of reason in politics.
We can criticize Congress—and I do—but American voters have to take responsibility for the people we send to Washington, DC. We have no right to complain about politics if we keep casting our votes for rabid politicians.
To see if your Congressional representatives—in both the House and Senate—are wasting our time and tax dollars, check out the Lugar Center’s Bipartisan Index, where Congressmen and Senators receive scores on cooperative legislative efforts.
We can criticize Congress—and I do—but American voters have to take responsibility for the people we send to Washington, DC. We have no right to complain about politics if we keep casting our votes for rabid politicians.
To see if your Congressional representatives—in both the House and Senate—are wasting our time and tax dollars, check out the Lugar Center’s Bipartisan Index, where Congressmen and Senators receive scores on cooperative legislative efforts.
TEDx Talk
As a social practice artist, I use art to expand people’s views on various social topics. After presenting In America, I retreated to my studio to consider how most effectively to use art for social change. Take almost any topic—immigration, gun violence, climate change—the greatest impact will come from legislation and better governance. To get there, though, we need structural change—getting dark money out of politics; redistricting; rank choice voting: fixing the electoral college; well-considered term limits. To institute healthy structural changes, we need legislators who are wise enough and brave enough to make these changes. Thus, we need voters to choose the right representatives. To create the change we need, we need to change.
Protecting our democracy is not the responsibility of a select few activists. Each of us is responsible. That is what my TEDx Talk is about.
TEDx Talk
As a social practice artist, I use art to expand people’s views on various social topics. After presenting In America, I retreated to my studio to consider how most effectively to use art for social change. Take almost any topic—immigration, gun violence, climate change—the greatest impact will come from legislation and better governance. To get there, though, we need structural change—getting dark money out of politics; redistricting; rank choice voting: fixing the electoral college; well-considered term limits. To institute healthy structural changes, we need legislators who are wise enough and brave enough to make these changes. Thus, we need voters to choose the right representatives. To create the change we need, we need to change.
Protecting our democracy is not the responsibility of a select few activists. Each of us is responsible. That is what my TEDx Talk is about.