Dear America
The Sandhills Institute participated in this year's Fun Days sponsored by the Rushville Chamber of Commerce. In keeping with this years theme "God Bless America" SI recreated a project "Dear America" that was initially done at Vanderbilt University and was the collaborative creation of Sandhills Institute Director, Mel Ziegler’s Art and Social Interaction class in spring 2016, prior to the election that year. The class believed there needed to be more conversation and willingness to discuss politics. The picnic table, a place for social gatherings, good food and conversation seemed like the perfect format. Writing messages for them was a way to prompt this much needed open conversation.
This was the third manifestation of the project as it was also recreated for an exhibition at the Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore College. <https://tang.skidmore.edu/exhibitions/218-a-more-perfect-union> More photos of the project will be posted on our website soon. <sandhillsinstitute.com>
They tallied over ninety messages and documented many of the contributors. This one particular image seems to capture the spirit of the project. Here, two of the parade's Grand Marshals, Evelyn Crane and Peg Tausan , write their message to America. One can't get any more photogenic than this!
The Sandhills Institute has not decided where the picnic tables will end up but they do hope to make them public and open for written comments at least one more time. Perhaps at this years Spook Fest?
following are photos from the event:
Sandhills Institute Project for the Rushville Fun Fest (August 2022)
