PATRIOT GAME, 2018
PATRIOT GAME was a participatory video project with my fellow members of the Houston Chapter of United We Dream (U.W.D.). PATRIOT GAME offered these young, social justice activists and D.A.C.A recipients a chance to redefine concepts, terms and the vernacular associated with the United States sentiments, values and notions of patriotism. Alternating with the traditional and classical terms of citizenship which allude to and external exchange between the state authority and its citizenry, are new terms that make room for internal expressions. For example, "Play", "Emotions" or "Imagination", seek to expand the notions and concepts of citizenship and patriotism as something that can be personally fulfilled. The participants were free to conceive and devise their own interpretations and meanings of traditional and contemporary terms. Each new interpretation reveals alternative perceptions on what the US social contract means. The exhibition also became an opportunity for the general public to follow the example set by former U.W.D. members to re-examine conventional terminology for our present-day context, while exploring new lexicons for making a more expansive and inclusive notion of what it means to be an American.
PATRIOT GAME is a visual philosophical experiment to observe friends (and new friends) as they spontaneously react, express and respond with their specific thoughts toward the dominant terminology associated with US individual and “national values", and with the newly emerging "patriotic" terminology expressing community and internal feelings (scroll below for background). Participants sat before a video camera, read a video prompter with flashed words, that allow the sitter 10 seconds to respond to each term. Intermixed are new idioms that have non-traditional relationships with patriotic attitudes and thoughts. All participants were free to respond in any way they deem appropriate while seated before the camera; they can express with one word or statement; make gestures, sounds and act out; or display their gut reaction. Each session lasted 2 minutes. This non-scientific art and philosophical experiment is intended to be fun, intuitive, celebratory and revealing. PATRIOT GAME asks viewers and participants: "who defines patriotic terminology?"
Alternating with the traditional and classical terms of citizenship which allude to and external exchange between the state authority and its citizenry, are new terms that make room for internal expressions. For example, "Play", "Emotions" or "Imagination", seek to expand the notions and concepts of citizenship and patriotism as something that can be personally fulfilled. Contributors conceived and devised their own interpretations and meanings of traditional and contemporary terms. Each new interpretation reveals alternative perceptions on what the US social contract means. The exhibition also became an opportunity for the general public to follow the example set by former U.W.D. members to re-examine conventional terminology for our present-day context, while exploring new lexicons for making a more expansive and inclusive notion of what it means to be an American.
Who determines the meaning of words like “liberty”, “freedom” and “choice”? Do the classical definitions of US patriotism allude for many in our population as half-fulfilled entitlements with an ever-elusive goal to becoming a full shareholder in the franchise of US citizenship? Are the terms we take for granted as expressions of patriotism being tainted, as one participant divulged, by intolerant, extreme right-wing ideology? One can argue that concepts of citizenship can be interpreted according to our nation’s present-day environmental, socio-political, cultural and psychological condition. Contemporary legal philosophers and theorists claim there is space in our American lexicon for the introduction of new vocabularies that allude to internal feelings, human aspirations and fulfillment. Terms such as “friendship”, “reason”, “emotions”, “imagination” and “play” suggest a more personally affirming sense of liberty and freedom while expressing the goal of “human dignity” as a base value in order to achieve true citizenship. Rather than an exercise of negating one term for another, PATRIOT GAME instead tries to foster and enlarge classical concepts of citizenship while sharing the authorship of this lexicon with today’s citizens and non-citizens. PATRIOT GAME’s objective is for viewers and participants to redefine traditional U.S. patriotic terms for themselves while experiencing and considering a new lexicon for civic conversation with all those who live within our borders.
PATRIOT GAME, first exhibited at Civic T.V. Laboratories from March 17 - April 30, 2018, was an interdisciplinary installation involving multi-channel videos, prints, zines and live and recorded interactivity for the viewers. (Scroll down to see some of the original drafts and learn its history.)
There are 6 components to the PATRIOT GAME exhibition:
1) The videos formatted for flat screens and looped projection of social justice activists and D.A.C.A recipients (former members of U.W.D. were recorded at the U.W.D. offices).;
2) LEXICONS, a one channel video of the expansive terms/new concepts looping on a separate flat-screen. Using the same background as the video recordings, the new terms are layered projected in the video. LEXICONS, is available in a CD edition of three. (price on request);
3) Fine art prints of stills from the LEXICONS video, titles - PLAY, IMAGINATION, RESPECT, EMOTIONS, FRIENDSHIP and REASON (ea. 30" x 20", inkjet print on archival cold press bright paper - price on request);
4) AND, WITH, and PLUS print designs juxtaposing the new terms with the traditional. This was meant for wider distribution to encourage the civic conversation with an inclusive, non-negation of the all terms associated with expansive citizenship titled. 11" x 17" and 13” x 19” versions are available for sale. They look great in a home environment. (inkjet print on archival cold press bright paper, - price on request).;
5) During the opening reception Civic T.V. provided a live interactive room for visitors to emulate the same experience as original participants. Videos were live streamed in an adjacent room for the public. Visitors and new participants can reply in any manner: statements, in silence or with one word, make gestures, sounds, act out and display any gut reaction. Each session lasts 2 minutes. Many were visitors were recorded during the opening. Future use TBD.
And: 6) a PATRIOT GAME “zine” for the exhibition. The zine contains word puzzles and word searches of the terms used in the exhibition. Included is a short essays about the concepts and philosophical framework of the art work in the exhibit which drew its inspiration from the Central Human Capabilities by philosopher Martha C. Nussbaum (scroll below for background). Images included the LEXICON prints, an Instagram game, with the central pages devoted to the Central Human Capabilities. (price on request).
Drafts for PATRIOT GAME video, installation, prints (2018).
Philosophical Framework for PATRIOT GAME
The impetus for creating the PATRIOT GAME originated from my research into contemporary expanded forms of citizenship while writing my graduate thesis. This art project became an experiment to observe and foster greater agency with viewers and participants to redefine the terms associated with “patriotism” and “citizenship”.
Citizenship implies that humans have entitlements and rights in their country of origin, or in a State where they become naturalized, in exchange for loyalty, responsibilities and obligations. It is an exchange that States give to towards people within their border, “We grant you citizenship and you submit to the laws of the country.” They are tacit agreements of external dimensions, a trade off of protection for expectant behavior. This is the “social contract” a philosophical model that says implicit and tacit contracts, agreements, laws and treaties exist for peoples to live under to create communities.
However modern theorists challenge the social contract model of external exchanges between the state and citizen as mere utilitarian without dealing with basic human rights for all humans. Justice as fairness theories of John Rawls and the Capabilities Approaches of Amartya Sen move towards an ideal contending that States and their laws must provide fair choices for all humans, of various capabilities, to interact in the public and private sphere. Dr. Martha C. Nussbaum, with her Central Human Capabilities, advances this challenge by saying human fulfillment, or “citizenship”, is something that is felt “internally” as much as it is “externally” through political and social exchange. Human dignity, the notion of a political life in contact with all individuals, not just “normal” ones, to live life with aspirations and with “a rich plurality of life’s activities” offers another definition of citizenship.
For more background visit: FRAMEWORK
PATRIOT GAME was first exhibited at Civic T.V. Laboratories, from March 17 thru April 30, 2018. Without the support of its directors Terry Suprean and Alexandra Kelton this project would not have been possible.