Returning from the RNC and DNC
Returning from the 2016 RNC and DNC has been a journey. We met amazing people and are grateful for the experience to see and greet so many enthusiastic Americans. The cities of Cleveland and Philadelphia were generous in the exposure they gave our exhibit “American History 2000 – 2012”, as we gathered information and launched “This Unites US”. Both conventions were extremely different and captured by our film crew. We are still processing the experience.
During our exposure I was asked to identify specific questions.
1) Are you against government?
No! I am concerned about accountability.
2) What is this art project about?
I’ve captured mainstream media from 2000 – 2012. Scanned collected images and words into the computer and made a series of collages that represent chronologically our current 21st Century U.S. History told to us by mainstream media.
Reading the articles that went along with the images I had too many moments where I questioned what I was being told and started doing research. I made a fourteenth panel called the “Grid”. The Grid shows statistical information about what happened to the American People, who were the decision makers, who funded the decision makers and who profited.
Trying to get this body of work noticed by museums or galleries has been challenging. The response is that it is too political. This dumbfounds me. I feel this body of work is cultural and social. American History 2000 – 2012 is images and words presented to the American People VIA mainstream media. If this series of collages is perceived as political than these panels represent mainstream media’s involvement with influencing the behaviors of our nation VIA powers of organized control. Pay attention to how you feel when you turn on the news. We are continually being told we are divided and projected with fear. If there is one word to describe this artwork it’s entrainment. Entrainment means mass mind manipulation.
Last November I realized I needed to take this artwork to the streets. It seemed a natural venue to bring the artwork to the upcoming 2016 Republican National Convention (RNC) and the 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC). My proposals to the convention host cities, Cleveland and Philadelphia, included asking the question “What do we have in common”. Our attempt was to capture people’s responses and retort VIA social media at “This Unites US”.
What we witnessed was collective consciousness.
3) Where is your political stance?
Undecided. I’m really about the people. Regarding our current political situation I am concerned about accountability.
4) What is your inspiration for this project?
There are two parts.
Part One: “American History 2000 – 2012” came from witnessing 9/11. We all witnessed 9/11. Images were everywhere, TV, Internet, newspapers and magazines. I captured images that I had an emotional reaction to. I felt if I was having a reaction others were too. I started noticing in 2007 people remembered 9/11 and invading Iraq in 2003 but they were forgetting what happened in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Things escalated in 2008. There was so much going on that we could only retain bits of information. In October 2011 I started scanning into the computer images I collected. I spent 2 years working 60 – 80 hours per week building the fourteen panels were bringing forward.
At the end of 2013 I walked away from capturing the mainstream media. I felt shattered and hopeless. I felt if I there was going to be a change in the world I had to start with myself.
Part Two: July 2015, I realized I needed to bring this body of artwork forward. I researched galleries and museums that would be interested in displaying this collection. Through this process the idea was planted to take it to the streets. It felt like coming forward to the 2016 RNC and DNC was a good option for public viewing. In my proposals to the city of Cleveland and Philadelphia I said we wanted to ask viewers the question “What do we have in common?” We’ve been retorting back VIA social media to “This Unites Us”.
5) What was your process like?
Emotional, intellectual, eye opening. I read articles that went along with the images I had collected and realized I had many questions. I started researching details about the data that was coming forward. I made a 14th panel called the “Grid”. The “Grid” shows statistical information about what happened to the American People, who were the decision makers and their connections to Think Tanks, Family Foundations and Corporations.
2000 – 2008 was what we will remember as the Bush Era. There was a specific Think Tank that was active at this time called “Project for a New American Century” (PNAC). In 2000 PNAC released a 90-page report titled “Rebuilding America’s Defenses” Strategy, Forces and Resources For a New Century.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/pdf/RebuildingAmericasDefenses.pdf
This report was a guide for American Global Leadership that the Bush administration followed. It was the bible for the war on terrorism.
PNAC contributors, principal signatories and supporters were contributors, principals and controllers in Mainstream news, the military industrial complex and the hierarchy of the United States Government. During the Bush Administration (2000 – 2008), war was the agenda and media was how it was sold to the American people.
This concept of American Global Leadership needs to be re-identified. It’s really Global Leadership (control) under the name of America. I have to question “Does this really represent how American People see themselves?”
PNAC closed down in 2006. They reopened in 2009. Their new name is “Foreign Policy Initiative.” They don’t sound very friendly on their website. They again are advertising “American Global Leadership” at the expense of continued international havoc and reducing American social benefits.
Don’t question if this is true. Read their website. They are very direct in their mission. http://www.foreignpolicyi.org/
6) Do you have an end goal through this?
During our presentations in Cleveland, OH and Philadelphia, PA during the 2016 RNC and DNC we asked viewers the question “What do we have in common?” and retorted VIA Social Media at “This Unites US”.
Viewers identified we have more in common with each other in our beliefs, goals and needs in this country than we are lead to believe, that we collectively have similar concerns where our country is headed.
I feel the end goal, bottom line is we need to find a way to gather a national common voice that represents the people.
We need an online voting system. Not a voting system for our government or corporations, a voting system (voice) for the people.
I’m not against the government, corporations or profit. I am concerned about accountability and decisions being made that are affecting our present and future well-being. If we can design a voting system that addresses key issues, allows us to VOTE on our cell phones, identify results and retort back, this feels like a way to collectively start changing our behavioral patterns to be people lead instead of profit lead.
What we witnessed and captured during the RNC and DNC is collective consciousness. The energy was very exciting. We the people can divest, concerns from a micro to a macro scale if we can find a delivery system to identify a common voice. Activism in action is growing.
RE: Cleveland – Cleveland was a power source: Local citizens told me that their city is going through a resurrection. Everyone I met who lives in Cleveland loves this city. I understand why. There is a lot of culture and community. Cleveland is an example of population working together within their communities. I am very grateful for the opportunity to of witnessed this.
My dream is to enhance and bring forward our messages.
I’ve witnessed, as individuals, communities and a nation we have more things in common that bind us together than separates us.
For further information please visit ThisUnitesUS.com Twitter: /thisunitesus Instagram: #ThisUnitesUS
Sincerely, Gaye Lub