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This Land Is Your Land

February 1 - March 22, 2008

Greg Stimac, Still from Peeling Out, 2007, Courtesy of the artist

Work by:
Roberto Bellini
Peter Granser
Caroline Hake
Christian Jankowski
Simon Roberts
Greg Stimac
Bryan Zanisnik

Chicago–– In February 2008, the MoCP will open a group exhibition of work by seven artists—two of whom are American, and five of whom are not—offering diverse perceptions of the United States. Their artwork touches upon some of the most current American concerns as well as some of its most enduring stereotypes. They use current events, personal observations, and often humor to comment on the political, religious, and cultural climate of this country.

The artists demonstrate that our nation’s character is not tribal, but rather it is a constantly shifting confluence of traditions, stereotypes, and opinions, as understood from both within the country and from the outside.

In their work they demonstrate that our nation’s character is not tribal, but rather it is a constantly shifting confluence of traditions, stereotypes, and opinions, as understood from both within the country and from the outside. MoCP curator Karen Irvine titled the show after Woody Guthrie’s 1940 song, written in response to what he felt was the overzealous glorification of the country in the lyrics of Irving Berlin’s song “God Bless America,” widely released in 1938. Guthrie was reacting to what he believed was a disconnect between the exalted adoration of the country in Berlin’s song and the reality of social problems such as the extremely unbalanced distribution of wealth that existed at the end of the Great Depression.

Sixty-seven years later, “This Land is Your Land” has become one of the most popular patriotic songs of all time.

…What seems to be patriotic, even positive, on the surface is not always what it seems….

But what seems to be patriotic, even positive, on the surface is not always what it seems, and the works in this exhibition reflect the polarizing issues our nation faces today: the complicated and messy War on Terror, as well as battles over immigration, security, abortion, and economics. However, Irvine says that “perhaps these fissures are indicators of patriotism in its higher form – the questioning of one’s country in a desire to make it better.”

Watch curator Karen Irvine give a tour of this exhibition on Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV):