Consensus, 2013
With Erich Wise
Baker's Dozen V, Marginal Revolutions
Torrance Art Museum
In my experience of both Occupy and the resulting break out groups, I came to agree with the Feminist critique of the Occupy consensus model. Horizontality, when practiced this way, does not inherently aid egalitarian representation in decision making. Introverted personalities and marginalized peoples are often socially disadvantaged, giving those with social entitlement more control over decision making. The multi-person, unbalanced seesaw explores the consensus model as it is, with an unequal distribution of weight and thus power. Participants must collaborate to equally balance and operate the interactive sculpture and thus generate the outcome (generating power and mixing drinks). The lighted word, “ugh”, exemplifies the often frustrating experience of working towards egalitarianism, while the mixed drink embodies the communal benefits of the process. Liberation movements are beautiful and frustrating and complex. We are not working towards a destination, we are working towards evolution. It’s a fucking process.
Baker's Dozen V, Marginal Revolutions
Torrance Art Museum
In my experience of both Occupy and the resulting break out groups, I came to agree with the Feminist critique of the Occupy consensus model. Horizontality, when practiced this way, does not inherently aid egalitarian representation in decision making. Introverted personalities and marginalized peoples are often socially disadvantaged, giving those with social entitlement more control over decision making. The multi-person, unbalanced seesaw explores the consensus model as it is, with an unequal distribution of weight and thus power. Participants must collaborate to equally balance and operate the interactive sculpture and thus generate the outcome (generating power and mixing drinks). The lighted word, “ugh”, exemplifies the often frustrating experience of working towards egalitarianism, while the mixed drink embodies the communal benefits of the process. Liberation movements are beautiful and frustrating and complex. We are not working towards a destination, we are working towards evolution. It’s a fucking process.
