THE
WHITEWASHING
OF AMERICA
F-IT! I’M PLAYIN’ THROUGH.
Acrylic on whitewashed wood, assemblage: metal, glue, golf clubs.
47.5" x 47.5"
Acrylic on whitewashed wood, assemblage: metal, glue, dolls.
47.5" x 47.5"
Acrylic on whitewashed wood, assemblage: wood, metal, glue, exhaust tail pipes, barb-wire.
47.5" x 47.5"
Acrylic on whitewashed wood, assemblage: wood, metal, glue, action figure, toy truck.
47.5" x 47.5"
Acrylic on whitewashed wood, assemblage: metal, glue, wood, tools, barb-wire.
47.5" x 47.5"
Acrylic on whitewashed wood, assemblage: metal, glue, defunct video game figurines.
47.5" x 47.5"
“Why does the President hate people like me? You know, people from Africa.”
– My daughter Jordan, age 9. Car ride from soccer practice, winter 2018
Fielding difficult questions is common in our household, but ones squarely in response to rhetoric and behavior of a President? — heartbreaking, disgusting, alarming. How do I reassure her and those besieged because of their differences? How best do I defiantly scream, “No, this isn’t ok, this isn’t just, this isn’t patriotic!”
Through the Whitewashing of America assemblage series, I strive to organize my thoughts, and respond with an unapologetic rejection of the demagogue who seeks to divide our nation. White-washed wood, household-objects, structured design, perspective and shadows, are used to beckon the viewer to discover the symbolism and layered meanings — realizing that first impressions are, perhaps, deceptive.
– Justin Prough