Originally this project was started as way to talk about the gun issue in the USA, along with the hate embolden members of the GOP and other negative aspects of the GOP and rhetoric and actions by fundamentalist and lubricous nature of  fundamentalist dogma.  The serious started before the Drumpf administration and continued on to the present day. Some more recent imagery on cups for me has related more towards heroes and kind people.  If intere4sted in any available work contact me. 

 

Short Statement on Political High Balls, by Stephen Robison

 

The divisive and hate filled rhetoric of the small minded mentally unstable POTUS, (piece of totally useless shit), is being reflected in a variety of art forms. Many musicians, almost all comedians, most actors, some dancers, and a few visual artists are using their visual and literal voices to express and speak out against this hate.

 

As Drumpf continues to kick at and stir up the nests of ill-informed hate filled hornets, these swarms are emboldened to take bigoted, racist and sexist stands that had been hidden in their mutant inbred piglet closets for some time.

 

One major outlet for people to speak out against this and maybe find some sort of cathartic expression has been through social media.  On visually based social media platforms an image and text based form of expression called the meme has become a cathartic visual reflection of the political zeitgeist. The meme generally is not dedicated to the foundational elements of “good” art. Composition, line, color, negative and or positive space are not concerns of the meme. Content can be trite, flippant, and the subtleties of having to read into a piece and spend time with a piece as we would with a powerful painting is also not a concern of the meme. It is art though, the meme is reflecting societies take on a variety of topics, politics is only one.

 

In my recent series of cups and bottle forms I been documenting some of this moment in our political chronicle of the Drumpf administration. Before his “election” I started making memes to express the general anti humanist approach that the GOP has taken for some time on issues related to forcing a religious agenda and their lack of action on gun control.  Using a meme generator with stock and manipulated photos in conjunction with the text I have chosen statements to be digging and at times as crass as the words of the POTUS and generally they are his actual own ignorant statements.  One instance is in the viral reflection on what POTUS really stands for in this present day of Drumpf, (Piece of Totally Useless Shit).

 

A secondary part of this body of work is a monetary fight back against this hatred and fear.  It is a monetary fight back against nationalism, white pride and religious fundamentalist and ignorant views, all of which can be said to be fueled by hatred and fear. Proceeds from this body of work will go to three nonprofit agencies in our country that I believe are tools of justice and the progressive growth in our society.

 

The Southern Poverty Law Center

 They monitor hate groups and other extremists throughout the U.S. and exposes their activities to law enforcement agencies, the media and the public.

 

The American Civil Liberties Union

They are a nonpartisan nonprofit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country.

 

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

PPFA is a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care in the United States and globally.

 

The patron purchasing a cup will need to fill out documentation and make a decision on which nonprofit they want their money to go to. There is a minimum price on the cups and no maximum. The patron can choose to pay more for the cup and their donation to the nonprofit of their choice will reflect that change. The patron will also choose whose name the donation will be made in or can pick anonymous.  The documentation form will also have a space for further support of this project to aid in publicity, shipping, materials and firing costs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Political High Balls

 

Price minimum    50.00   

 

Or choose to pay more towards nonprofit of your choice, payment   ____________

 

There will be no consignment cut taken by the gallery after the first $50.00, 100% after that shall be donated to the nonprofit of choice. 

 

Signature of gallery representative ____________________

 

____    The Southern Poverty Law Center

 

____    The American Civil Liberties Union

 

____    Planned Parenthood Federation of America

 

 

____    Donation to be anonymous

 

____    Name and address of patron or name for donation to made under.  

 

Name              __________________________________________

 

Address           __________________________________________           

 

                        __________________________________________

 

                        __________________________________________