Should they stay or should they go?
Now that we have a (new) president again, I’m faced with a bit of a dilemma: should I dump the Trump protest art?
This question comes to mind after the Museum of London announced it’s adding the original Trump Baby balloon to its collection. You might remember London protesters “welcomed” the former president with the mini-blimp in July 2018.
And just in time for that year’s Seattle Art Fair, my husband surprised me with the t-shirt version.
Ordinarily, I hoard — I mean, “collect” — things like this for my collages and assemblage sculptures as part of my practice. And it’s common for some museums to collect protest-related ephemera as material culture. In fact, the Smithsonian Institute recently acquired posters and other stuff left behind by pro-Trump insurrectionists on January 6th. But do I really want to remember this era so clearly?
And as the Trump Baby balloon makers pointed out, “…we’re under no illusions that this is the end of the story.” So what should I do with the hat and the t-shirt? Drop a suggestion on my Facebook or Instagram.
Black Girl Basel: If you can't meet 'em, join 'em online
I’m told art fairs at Art Basel Miami Beach can be both great fun and nightmarishly pretentious at the same time. Fortunately, there’s at least one bright spot: Black Girl Basel, which goes virtual this year!
Artist Kesha Bruce co-founded the event with attorney Mavis Gragg and communications expert Carol McDonald in 2018. It’s meant to accelerate forming those bonds that often lead to “hey, I know the perfect person for that role/ exhibit/ project” collaborations. And like all memorable gatherings, it was just… FUN. So much fun spilled over from the first Black Girl Basel event that even the New York Times arts section noticed.
And if you’re wondering about the elephant in the room:
I know for sure that my girl Liz Tran will be there (and believe me, Liz does not waste her time on soul-sucking distractions). Black Girl Basel happens on Miami time, so if you’re on the West Coast like me check the session timing carefully. Hope to see you there!
Riding the second wave of museum closures
Thank goodness art museums are reopening! Now I can see the new Barbara Earl Thomas exhibit — oh wait…
[bitter laugh] Just kidding. Coronavirus rates are spiking again and we’re under a second stay-home order until at least mid-December. When one door closes…
If you’re art-starved and longing for The Before Times, search my blog for posts tagged “museum,” including:
Parents’ Day Out with me (and without the kids)
“Double Exposure,” contrasting portrayals of indigenous people in the Northwest
In the meantime, I guess we put museum visits on the raincheck list of restricted activities. ‘Raincheck in Rain City’ thanks to the ‘Rona. Ha. We are not amused.