[DISPLAY_ULTIMATE_SOCIAL_ICONS]

Laurie says:

I went with Debbie to the Museum of Capitalism, a remarkable exhibition installed in what was a huge empty retail space in Jack London Square in Oakland. The exhibition is a art/historical view of capitalism as if it no longer existed. Unfortunately I got there rather late, as it only runs til August 20th.

From the curators’ statement by FICTILUIS:

Some may argue that the events the Museum highlights are too recent in memory to be displayed in such a way, that the topic is too sensitive for those who still feel it’s effects. Others argue that it’s too late, that reflection upon the logics and limits of capitalism should have happened long ago, and might have prevented many of the tragedies that have played out in recent decades. We maintain that there is no better time then now to honor those impacted by capitalism and those who will feel its impacts far into the future.

The exhibition includes over 50 artists and is very varied in subjects, attitudes and media. I’m going to write about the work that struck me the most. It’s by Beverly Henry.
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In the installation Undoing Time/PLEDGE, a video portrait co-authored with former prisoner Beverly Henry (who worked in a California prison flag factory while incarcerated), is installed with two American flags produced in the flag factory where she worked during the the years she was incarcerated at the Central California Women’s facility.
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The text of an op-ed piece Beverly wrote on the 254th anniversary of Betsy Ross’ birth is embroidered into the stripes of the flags. In the video Beverly performs a symbolic act – undoing the stitches of one of the flags made in the prison factory – while she describes her own search for equality and democracy as a socio-economically marginalized person. In the op-ed text, and through her recorded statements, Beverly’s reflections, on the promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that the US flag purportedly represents, challenge us to examine the structural inequalities at the root of the extraordinary expansion of penal confinement in the United States.
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This is an image from the video of her taking the flag apart as an act of reclamation.

If you are interested in learning more about the exhibition, there is a good article here by Kriston Capps

And if you’re in the Bay Area and you can see it before the 20th, go!