Art for Dignity

"As if demolishing the East Wing, gutting arts agencies, and slapping his name and face on several federal buildings weren't enough, the US president now wants to do away with a DC building known as the "Sistine Chapel of New Deal art." This week, we reported on a burgeoning campaign to save the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building, which houses murals by Ben Shahn, Philip Guston, Seymour Fogel, and other major American artists. We will continue to follow this story."

"I also recommend reading Ifrah Mansour's moving essay on her life as a Somali American artist in Minnesota during these dark times. Despite all the pain and fear, she still believes that kindness will prevail. "To live in Minnesota as Somalis at this moment can feel like being skinned bit by bit," writes Ifrah Mansour, whose public artworks can be found across Minneapolis."

A campaign is mounting to save the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building in Washington, DC, which houses murals by Ben Shahn, Philip Guston, Seymour Fogel, and other major American artists. Advocacy groups and petition authors, including Alex Lawson of Social Security Works, pledge to prevent the building's destruction. Ifrah Mansour, a Somali American artist in Minnesota, describes collective pain and fear, saying life as Somalis can feel like being skinned bit by bit while still expressing belief that kindness will prevail. Practical guidance is available for artists seeking inclusion in the Whitney Biennial, emphasizing that selection requires more than hard work and networking.

Read at Hyperallergic