“The Poetry of Protest” our show in the Gallery of Art and Design at the University of Central Missouri of large prints of photographs from rallies, protests, marches, and demonstrations opened on September 26th. We left an open notebook with blank pages and pencils on a podium next to the exhibit title wall. We got comments

We get comments.

The comments:

So Powerful! it takes the flap of a butterfly’s wings to start a hurricane.

Given past experience, human entropy is a more powerful force in the universe.

[….] 1836.

Looks somewhat like 1970’s that turned ugly eventually – hope it doesn’t happen again – PROTEST all you want, but no violence! [….] former FBI Agent

In our experience, up to a few weeks ago, the only people we encountered at demonstrations who were armed with firearms, in addition to any public law enforcement presence, were right wingnuts. A few weeks ago in Kansas City, according to local media reports, the protesters and counter-protesters at an anti-Muslim demonstration in the same location and similar to the one we covered in June of 2017 were both armed. News reports indicated that the Kansas City Police had those individual who were open carrying without a conceal carry permit unload their firearms – in accordance with a Kansas City ordinance.

I entered this art gallery to see people’s creations, I was shocked by how one-sided all of these photographs were. Why no protests of Obama, or abortion, or anything that would remotely resemble criticism of the leftist mindset? I didn’t vote for Trump, but come on. This is the pinnacle of liberal propaganda.
– A young, straight, atheist, pro-life, milk-toast piece of human garbage

This appears to be an opinion that an exhibit of photographs in an art gallery is not a display of the photographer’s creative work. Aside from the fact that photography as art has been long and well established, the argument here is not an aesthetic one – the commenter just doesn’t like the distribution of the subject matter.

“…I was shocked by how one-sided all of these photographs were…”

A gallery exhibit is not a vehicle for the “all opposing views are equal” mantra in some circles of old media.

“…Why no protests of Obama, or abortion, or anything that would remotely resemble criticism of the leftist mindset?…”

You’re showing your biases. Right wingnuts in America now have everything they’ve ever wanted – they control the Presidency, Congress, and the Supreme Court. For the most part they’re not in the streets protesting in any significant numbers. Still, they’re preternaturally unsatisfied and unhappy.

Here’s the thing. You want a gallery show about those particular subjects? Go get a decent full frame camera, drive all over the state and the Midwest to cover these types of events, photograph them in some competent manner, make aesthetic choices about which images will work, start a discussion with a gallery over a period of two years, make numerous test prints on various papers, make the exhibit prints, and put the show up. Knock yourself out. But you won’t, will you? You’ll just complain about the unfairness of it all.

“…I didn’t vote for Trump, but come on…”

Methinks you doth protest too much. Still, there he is and here we are.

“…This is the pinnacle of liberal propaganda…”

The Faux News Channel. I rest my case.

“…A young, straight, atheist, pro-life, milk-toast piece of human garbage”

That’s a lot to unpack.

[on the next page] THIS ROOM IS AN ECHO CHAMBER.

We see what you did there.

Large prints in the gallery from the anti-Muslim protest and counter-protest in Washington Square Park, Kansas City on June 10, 2017.

Previously:

The Poetry of Protest (September 9, 2017)

In the gallery (September 21, 2017)

In the gallery – part 2 (September 23, 2017)

In the gallery – part 3 (September 26, 2017)