Marisa Olson on "OURS: Democracy In the Age of Branding"

This is another great article from Rhizome who talked to Marisa Olson, the co-curator of the new exhibition called, "OURS: Democracy in the Age of Branding." The exhibit has both a place in New York City at Parsons and an online segment, which has been a new way to explore so many things and now a new way to explore art. The exhibition, on a whole, looks at how democracy has become situated as a consumer brand in order to disseminate American values worldwide. The online portion of the show specifically examines subversive strategies emergent from network culture, and how these methods may produce and disseminate ideas that may work against the sway of branding. In light of the recent success of Barack Obama's campaign for presidency, largely due to Web-based grassroots organizing, the scope of "OURS: Democracy in the Age of Branding" seems to take on a whole new significance.

Overall, it's a further way of recruiting people's participation, faith, and responsibility. Saying "We" gets us all to buy in, while also making us all culpable for what happens to our country. This is hugely important. So it's a smart move and an exciting turn in a country that came to feel as if it had gone to the dogs.

Throughout this interview the topic of branding and participatory media is discussed in some detail. The co-curator talks about how she thinks art activism will change now that things have changed dramatically after the presidential election was decided. She thought that art will change in light of seeing things more positively through the campaign slogan "yes we can." However, the way that this exhibition decided to use the internet to portray some portions and to get people involved was the most interesting part of what they discussed. To me this is a very good idea for people to get involved and to become more active and personal with art as well as everything else.

~B~