Another form they have made use of is the textile banner, with previous iterations proclaiming twists on political slogans ("Long Live and Thrive Capitalism!", a riff on the ubiquitous "Long Live and Thrive Socialism!" of times gone by), playing with the hollowed out meaning of language in repressive regimes. Yet in our current post-truth universe, the corruption of language and its ability to deliver anything but platitudes can seem like the only common ground. Their newly commissioned work bears a different kind of slogan: "We Hope This Message Finds You Well!". This banal, throw away line - a classic opener of the work email - might rightly induce anxiety. In a world where it feels like everything is falling apart, being "found well" may sound as oxymoronic as the phrase "Long Live Socialism". The political valence of this meaning might be found in the unavoidable dissonance that every viewer will feel: We are not okay, not collectively or individually, and yet spaces to commiserate, much less mobilize, are shrinking by the minute. (Jill Winder)
|