The American Dream Project is our most dramatic public artwork to date. We installed it during the Republican and Democratic conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia. This enormous sculpture in ice disappeared in less than 4 hours at both sites highlighting the erosion of opportunity and social equality. Melting one of the central tenets of postwar America suspends disbelief and as the sculpture wept through its transformation, the action compelled people to bear witness to ideas and concepts they may only subconsciously feel.
When you think about the forms imagination can take,
it can take place anywhere between the nightmare and the dream.
That’s part of the thinking that goes into developing a social or political artwork.
— Suzanne Lacy
WHEN
July 25, 2016 at 1 PM
WHERE
Independence Mall, Philadelphia PA
WHAT
High Impact Visuals. Public Art, a temporary monument in 4000 lbs of ice
THE AMERICAN DREAM PROJECT
ArtsEverywhere,
a project of the Musagetes Foundation, supported the live streaming and short-term writers’ residencies in both cities offering writers, poets and journalists the chance to write and blog about the event and its significance. The City Club of Cleveland, the oldest free speech organization in the country, hosted a teach-in featuring community leaders and artists on the role of art and politics. Hear the podcast. In Philadelphia a public reading of texts on the state of America by noted authors will take place as the sculpture melts.
Artist’s Statement
The American Dream Project
The artists intend
for The American Dream, measuring 30 feet wide and 5 feet tall, to melt away. According to Ligorano, “Melting ice as a material is a perfect medium to show the disappearance of equality and opportunity. This is not specific to one party. Our country is in crisis. Our hopes is that these installations open up a space for making common ground.”
In Philadelphia, LigoranoReese have invited guest writers to be writers in residence during the event. They will be writing and blogging about seeing the American Dream disappear. A chorus of poets and writers flanking the sculpture will read from their texts and those of writers such as Claudia Rankine, Mike Davis, Charles Reznikoff on the state of America.
The American Dream Project
The project
follows earlier ice projects by the artists, which they call “temporary monuments.” In 2008, the artists installed ice sculptures of the words Democracy at the political conventions, Economy on the 79th anniversary of the Great Depression, and Middle Class in 2012 in Charlotte and Tampa. These ice sculptures materially underscore the impact of social and poltical forces on the country.
Tweeting @melted_away, #ligoranoreese, #publicart, #AmericanDreamProject #meltingopportunity, #July19
