Steven and William Ladd emphasize the detailed, self-referential communication within their collaborations and embrace being called “craft” artists. They have worked together for more than 25 years and prepare a large public installation in Washington, DC, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Their National Scrollathon, described as “America’s cultural project,” features freestanding pillars labeled by state. One side holds rolled fabric “scrolls” made by 10,000 participants nationwide, and the other side displays photos of those participants. The brothers gathered groups across all 50 states, five territories, and Washington, DC, where people rolled fabric trimmings and added messages or symbols, sharing experiences that range from illness recovery to everyday conversations.
"“We love communicating that,” Steven says during an hour-long video call. “'Beauty' was kind of a dirty word back in the day.” William cuts in. “Steve is a big communicator,” he says as his brother laughs. “Steve would talk for hours, and I'd be like, 'I'm just making things that are beautiful.'”"
"Collaborators for more than 25 years and based in New York, they are making the final preparations for a monumental work in monument-rich Washington, DC, where National Scrollathon, which they call “America's cultural project”, will preach unity and understanding at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which the current president has taken to calling the “Trump Kennedy Center”."
"Like the Second World War memorial a mile away, the project will have freestanding pillars labelled by state. One side will contain rolled up “scrolls” that 10,000 people across the country created, and the other will have photos of participants."
"The brothers visited all 50 US states, five territories and the District of Columbia, where they gathered 25 to 35 people for each hour-long Scrollathon session. Participants rolled fabric trimmings to make a “scroll” and added a message or symbol. They shared stories ranging from surviving cancer to children talking about sushi. “You can be crying in a session, you can be laughing in a session,” William says."
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