Political Circus 2024: Exhibition and Panel Discussions
Monday, Sep 23, 2024
Image above: Lisa Anne Auerbach, UNRAVELED, Image courtesy of the artist
Political Circus 2024 - Exhibition and Panel Discussions
Curated by Jane Caputi & Rockford Projects
Join the Political Circus! Expect pageantry, cheap shots, branding, bombast, combative opinion, conflicting patriotic pride, and flags of every stripe. Based on Jane Caputi’s, PhD, multi-year collection of presidential election merchandise, this exhibition examines the interplay of political media, consumerism, and patriotism. Presidential pop paraphernaliaacts as a cultural fun house mirror, reflecting and reshaping America. Curator Rockford projects juxtaposes Caputi’s massproduced election materials documenting trends in American elections with artistic “craftivism” and flag.
In the University Galleries:
SCHMIDT CENTER GALLERY AND PUBLIC SPACE
On View: October 5 – November 24, 2024
Opening Reception: October 10, 2024, 4:30-8:30 pm
Two panels associated with Political Circus 2024
Panel: The Political Circus, Human Rights and Presidential Campaigns (2008-2024)
Oct. 15, 2024, 2 pm - 3:30, Schmidt Center Gallery
- Peyton Sibert: PhD Student, Comparative Studies, "LGBTQ+ Human Rights"
- Karen Leader, Associate Professor, Art History, “Cats are Human Too”
- Luisa Turbino Torres, Assistant Professor, Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Political Science, "Reproductive Rights"
- Jane Caputi, Professor, Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Comm & Multimedia, "Weaponization of Disgust and Human Rights"
- Allan Barsky, Professor, Social Work, “Bridging Differences in the Divided States of America.”
Panel: Come Join the (Political) Circus (2008-2024)
Panelists:
- Jane Caputi, Professor, Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, “‘The Donfather’ and Other Mythic Masks of Pop Culture Presidency.”
- Sika Dagbovie-Mullins, Professor, English, “Matters of Race and Misogynoir.”
- Jordan Thompson, PhD candidate, Psychology, “Meme Wars and Presidential Campaigns.”
- Robert Caputi, Instructor, Sociology, “‘Mean Wars’: Malicious Pop Presidential Discourse.”
For more information in regards to the panel discussions, please email Jane Caputi at jcaputi@actupforjesus.com
