Democracy in America

I got back into town tonight and almost immediately headed out to meet Todd at Democracy in America, an art show currently at the the Park Avenue Armory. It’s incredible, and anyone who is in New York this week is encouraged to check it out. It’s highly political in nature and combines still art with documentary and other video art, performances, interactivity, and an opportunity to connect with other artists and concerned citizens.

It's also completely worth attending just for the chance to see the Armory. It's not usually open to the public and is an incredibly interesting space.

Here’s a description of the show from the website:

Creative Time is pleased to announce the largest public art initiative in its 34-year history, Democracy in America: The National Campaign. A multifaceted project on a national scale, Democracy in America travels across the country to take the temperature of artists’ relationships with and reactions to the historic roots and practical manifestations of the American democratic tradition. Creative Time will promote active participation and open discourse during the 2008 election season and beyond by engaging a diverse community of artists, activists, thinkers, and citizens to create spaces for dialogue, exploration, and congregation. The project includes: a 7-day exhibition at the historic landmark Park Avenue Armory, performative artist commissions from coast to coast and at the RNC and DNC, mobile projects visiting communities in Queens and Brooklyn, and a publication giving artists a platform to reflect on democracy in this country. Democracy in America: The National Campaign is curated by Nato Thompson.