Oh there are many layers in this image… lots of ways of seeing it. I think the strongest (saddest) interpretation for me is how quickly the passion and sense of unity Obama’s campaign brought out in so many people is now forgotten, and we’ve all gone back to our compartmentalized lives.
This spot is actually where I was with a friend when the election was called. The bar in the building on the left was actually projecting CNN, from their second story patio, onto the wall of the building across what was then a completely open space.
i don’t think it’s altogether sad nor was this next phase unpredictable.
was it ever really realistic to think that americans were going to hold hands across the nation forevermore, and that their fundamental ways of interacting/sharing/bring inspired was going to change? no.
community, sharing, and caring still go on, just in the individual & grassroots ways it happens in all of our lives. if we continued in the almost deranged and hyper sensational ways they’re enhanced during a campaign, i’m not sure we’d find the desired result there either.
the spirits that were raised during the obama campaign were real and still do exist, but yes, people must continue with their lives, their businesses, their own changes. just because we’re not all hooting and hollering still, doesn’t mean that it’s not meaningful that that happened, and that that energy doesn’t affect us still today.
Does the artist say it’s not symbolic?
September 12th, 2009 at 3:57 am
Oh there are many layers in this image… lots of ways of seeing it. I think the strongest (saddest) interpretation for me is how quickly the passion and sense of unity Obama’s campaign brought out in so many people is now forgotten, and we’ve all gone back to our compartmentalized lives.
This spot is actually where I was with a friend when the election was called. The bar in the building on the left was actually projecting CNN, from their second story patio, onto the wall of the building across what was then a completely open space.
September 12th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
i don’t think it’s altogether sad nor was this next phase unpredictable.
was it ever really realistic to think that americans were going to hold hands across the nation forevermore, and that their fundamental ways of interacting/sharing/bring inspired was going to change? no.
community, sharing, and caring still go on, just in the individual & grassroots ways it happens in all of our lives. if we continued in the almost deranged and hyper sensational ways they’re enhanced during a campaign, i’m not sure we’d find the desired result there either.
the spirits that were raised during the obama campaign were real and still do exist, but yes, people must continue with their lives, their businesses, their own changes. just because we’re not all hooting and hollering still, doesn’t mean that it’s not meaningful that that happened, and that that energy doesn’t affect us still today.
simply, life goes on.
September 16th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Thanks for the hopeful but realistic thoughts. Well said.
September 16th, 2009 at 11:07 am