“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