In which a city-funded art show at a city-owned airport reads like a feature in Jacobin magazine

SJ's Department of Cultural Affairs recently drew flak about its "Holding The Moment" art show at Mineta Airport, which the department funded and curated. Some residents were outraged that one painting in particular, Americana, may have promoted violence against police officers. Even though the show was ostensibly about artists' reactions to COVID 19, a quick scan of the "Artist Narratives," in which the artists explain their work, suggests that politics, not pandemics, may have been at the core of many of their creative expressions. Here's a sampling.

Janese Anderson, "Our Lives Matter." Image depicts protesters, one wearing a BLM t-shirt and others carrying signs protesting police brutality. Anderson says the work was "inspired by what my people have to face every day: the pain and fear of losing loved ones to people sworn to protect us, and the justified anger that follows."

Eric Bui, "Americana." Image shows what appears to be a protester squatting on top of a damaged police car waving an upside down American flag. Bui says the art was "inspired by the worldwide protests in 2020 condemning the rampant police brutality that continues to plague the United States. The imagery reflects a nation frustrated with an ongoing pandemic, as well as atrocities committed by those who were sworn to protect the public."

Rayos Magos, "Resistance." Black and white image of a raised fist. Magos says, "This work embodies the fight for solidarity and resistance against systemic oppression. The closed fist has been a longtime symbol [of] empowerment and resistance in the face of adversity, discrimination, and injustice in the world.

Erika Robertson, "The Weight of the Virus." Robertson says "Covid-19 has put a halt to our way of life. Small businesses are closing. Corporations are thriving. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs and are racking up overdue rent. Parents are trying to work at home and care for children being schooled by teachers who had to reinvent the education system in a heartbeat. The depression and anxiety of holding up a greedy system that is built on consumption is opening our eyes to a harsh reality. Our way of life is broken. Unhealthy. Unsustainable. Greed is a deadly pandemic and the vaccine isn't consumption."

Judy Rookstool, "Vote." Image depicts top of a ballot box. Rookstool says, "Voting is a fundamental tenet in the U.S.: however, constitutionally-guaranteed voting was only for free white males until disenfranchised groups won that right. This ballot box shows wear with long use. It might have served for many elections, but it is now framed by danger. Foreign interference has threatened our election process. With recent postal restrictions and efforts at voter suppression in some states, the universal right to vote is at risk."