The upcoming US presidential elections are touching every sphere of life, the art world being no exception. As the elections loom closer, the art group For Freedoms has started urging citizens to be more involved in voting.
Founded in 2016 by artists Hank Willis Thomas, Eric Gottesman, and Michelle Woo, the organization aimed to act as a Super PAC. This time, it has launched “Infinite Playbook“, a digital publication designed to motivate its readers to take political action. The description of the publication reads:
“Now, we invite you to awaken with us. This fall presents us with imminent possibility, a chance to commit to a world of healing, listening, and justice. The first step is to participate in political processes now, to count yourself in the census, and to vote or to help someone to vote.”
This isn’t the first time the group has participated in election initiatives. Before the 2016 US elections, they put up a billboard that showcased protesters facing the state troopers in Selma. The message “Make America Great Again”, a slogan of the then-candidate Donal Trump, was superimposed on it. Even after the elections, For Freedom continued holding rallies and putting up billboards across the country, including the 50 Billboards, 50 States initiative.
This year too, the group will use billboards to put out powerful messages. However, For Freedom will venture into the digital space for the first time, including Facebook and Twitter. A host of artists have already signed up for the Awakening campaign, including Alfredo Jar, Christine Sun Kim, Carlos Motta, and the Guerrilla Girls.
