Visual Artists are asking: What is Freedom? A group exhibit at The Gallery of Social and Political Art, Boston, MA

US and International visual artists examine the idea of Freedom in its myriad forms and meanings.

Boston (PRWEB) September 5, 2005 -- When one calls to mind the events of September 11th, images of collapsing buildings in lower Manhattan, a smoking Pentagon in Washington D.C., or scattered debris in a field in rural Pennsylvania come to mind. Few recall that two of the hijacked planes were flown out of Boston Logan International Airport. The city of Bostons connection to that day continues to run deep.

To mark the 4th anniversary of September 11th, the Gallery of Social and Political Art in Boston has brought together a diverse group of national and international artists to pose the question: What is Freedom?

Calls for the advancement of freedom have been broadcast over and over ad finitum in the past four years in the U.S. and across the globe. In his January 20th, 2005, 2nd term inauguration speech, George W. Bush used the word freedom 26 times. Countless speeches have been made since and all have continued with the repetition of the word and the advancement of the ideal. Freedom has become a justification for continued military activity, held up as a beacon for a better world; a promise that American values will continue to prosper and expand.

As an ideal and aspiration, few can object to the idea of Freedom. But the ideal has become, in the past four years, a kind of blanket clarion call, an over-used prop to bring support to a continued American military presence in the middle east.

Perhaps where politicians, TV talk show hosts and their expert guests have failed to unmask this constant call for freedom, a group of Artists can show some insight, lucidity, a hint of irony or humor.

Drew Waters, an Australian and one of 17 artists contributing to the show, will exhibit his work Freedom is on the March, a bold 2 dimensional representation of soldiers marching in step across a background of red, white and blue camouflage. He says of the work: This image explores the advance of American interests concealed behind a rhetoric of benevolent intention and patriotic calling. Freedom is the new camouflage."

The Gallery of Social and Political Art is located on the second floor of the Community Church of Boston Building, 565 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts.

The exhibit runs September 11th through October 9th. Opening Reception on September 10th at 6pm.

Gallery Hours are: Friday and Saturday 2pm - 6pm. Admission is Free.

Gallery directors Nathan Burke and Holly Wheeler can be reached via email: gspaboston (at) gmail.com.

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