“Gusher” by Tanya Brown

“Gusher” by Tanya Brown

This is one in a series of posts featuring an artist whose work is included in the Threads of Resistance exhibition. 

Artist’s Statement:

With the appointment of a secretary of state from Exxon/Mobil and an EPA head with close ties to the fossil fuel industry, the Trump administration is in the process of shaping America’s foreign and domestic policies for the benefit of the oil industry.

Trump has further shown his support for this group by signing an order to dismantle environmental regulations, claiming this will trigger a new energy boom. As The Washington Post put it, “the order (sends) an unmistakable message about the direction in which Trump wants to take the country – toward unfettered oil and gas production, with an apathetic eye to worries over global warming.”

Trump has expressed outright contempt for clean energy and those who value it, saying, “There has been a big push to develop alternative forms of energy – so-called green energy – from renewable sources. That’s a big mistake. To begin with, the whole push for renewable energy is being driven by the wrong motivation, the mistaken belief that global climate change is being caused by carbon emissions. If you don’t buy that – and I don’t – then what we have is really just an expensive way of making the tree-huggers feel good about themselves.”

“Gusher” represents the damage and waste caused by the unfettered use of oil and fossil fuels for supporting our consumer lifestyle. The backdrop of “Gusher” is a wasteland of parched soil and trash-strewn hovels. Humanity has been reduced to an automaton that excretes a never-ending diarrhea of red, white, and blue plastic crap. “Gusher’s” unsustainable, greed-driven economy has resulted in a world comprising waste and pollution.

 Hear a message from Tanya about her piece below:

“The Kiss” by Maryte Collard

“The Kiss” by Maryte Collard

This is one in a series of posts featuring an artist whose work is included in the Threads of Resistance exhibition.

Artist’s Statement:

I am an American citizen living in Lithuania. I love America and I care about what is happening there and I care about the future of my country. That’s why I didn’t vote for Donald Trump. But even more importantly, I didn’t vote for Donald Trump because of what his presidency looks like from here.

The idea that Putin may have helped Trump to win an election and to become a president worries and scares me. It worries and scares not only me, but most Europeans, especially those living in Baltic countries. Finally we are free and we don’t want to go back under the yoke of Russia. We don’t want to experience the destiny of Crimea. It is possible because we have a border with Russia. It can also be possible because of the romance between President Trump and President Putin.

Trump’s romance with Putin lately has changed to a theatrical standoff as an attempt to cover up the romance. Either romance or an extreme confrontation will not make the world a safer place and will not make us here safer as well. President Trump must understand that Russia has never been a friend of the United States of America. It looks like he can’t see this simple truth from America but we can clearly see it from here.

Based on original art by Dominykas Ceckauskas and Mindaugas Bonanu of www.trumpkissingputin.com and used with permission. 

Hear a message from Maryte about her piece below:

Resist Tyranny by Leslie Tucker Jenison

“Resist Tyranny” by Leslie Tucker Jenison

This is one in a series of posts featuring an artist whose work is included in the Threads of Resistance exhibition.

Artist’s Statement: 

The mantra “Resist” has been a constant in my thoughts during and since the 2016 election cycle. How can we be the best citizens in this advanced democracy? How can we respectfully disagree? The idea of peaceful resistance, vigilance and advocacy are at the forefront of my thoughts and actions. As a proud citizen of this country I view it as my responsibility to monitor my elected officials and resist the potential for tyrannical governance.

Hear a message from Leslie about her piece below:

“Liberty Assaulted” by Judy Coates Perez

“Liberty Assaulted” by Judy Coates Perez

This is one in a series of posts featuring an artist whose work is included in the Threads of Resistance exhibition.

Artist’s Statement:

I feel very strongly that racism, calculated deception and dishonesty won the presidency for Trump. His administration is an assault on people of color, women, the poor, education, science, facts, the environment and the personal freedoms and rights that made America the land of the free.

Hear a message from Judy about her piece below:

“Nevertheless, They Persisted” by Do Palma

“Nevertheless, They Persisted” by Do Palma

This is one in a series of posts featuring an artist whose work is included in the Threads of Resistance exhibition.

Artist’s Statement: 

This is my response to Mitch McConnell’s decision to block Elizabeth Warren from testifying at the Senate confirmation hearing for Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Warren was reading a letter from Coretta Scott King that was critical of Mr. Sessions. McConnell stated, “She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.” Later, other (male) senators read the same letter into the record.

Hear a message from Do about her piece below:

“Absolutely Nothing” by Kathy Nida

“Absolutely Nothing” by Kathy Nida

This is one in a series of posts featuring an artist whose work is included in the Threads of Resistance exhibition.

Artist’s Statement:
From birth, woman is at war with society, with the pink she’s supposed to wear, with her period and all its implications, with her rights to her uterus and all its products, with her right to wear clothing and not be assaulted … for that matter, to not be assaulted, no matter what. We achieve an uneasy balance with the war in our bodies, with the hormonal surges and bloody flow, a balance that is regularly damaged by puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. We are at war in our jobs, in the grocery store, with our bras, in our home lives, in the laundry room, with our stretch marks, in the boardroom, in line at the DMV, filling our tanks with gas. Even choosing our last names… there’s another battle.

She stands strong. War … what is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Here’s to a society without all that conflict, to equality.

Hear a message from Kathy about her piece below:

“Liberty Marches” by Susan Bianchi

“Liberty Marches” by Susan Bianchi

This is one in a series of posts featuring an artist whose work is included in the Threads of Resistance exhibition.

Artist’s Statement: 

On Jan. 21, 2017, the Women’s March took place around the world in protest of the character and policies of the 45th president of the United States of America. Women and men marched in support of many issues including liberty for all human beings.

The symbol of our country’s freedom commonly known as the Statue of Liberty is actually entitled Liberty Enlightening the World. Libertas carries a torch in her right hand lighting the way forward, a tablet in her left inscribed with the date of our declared independence, and a broken chain at her feet symbolizing abolition. I imagine her on Jan. 21 wanting to march but knowing how much more important it is to hold high the symbols of freedom. She invites more than 100 marchers from all over the world to make the signs they march with a part of her. Emblazoned with their words, she re-enlightens the world.

We can help. The fabric of liberty is imperfectly woven together. Sometimes it frays and unravels and hangs by a thread. We can strengthen the cloth. Working together, marching together, we are liberty.

Hear a message from Susan about her piece below: