Ours, Democracy in the Age of Branding

Oil Standard is included in the upcoming show  “Ours: Democracy in the Age of Branding" October 16, 2008 - February 1, 2009 The Sheila C. Johnson Design Center Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Gallery Parsons The New School for Design 66 Fifth Avenue at 13th Street, New York City

Opening reception: Wednesday, October 15, 6 - 9 p.m.

On the eve of the U.S. presidential elections, Parsons The New School for Design, in collaboration with the Vera List Center for Art and Politics at The New School, presents an interdisciplinary exhibition investigating democracy as a global brand. Contributions by 40 participants feature online works, installations, sculptures, photography, video and film as well as panels, lectures, performances, and charrettes.

"Ours: Democracy in the Age of Branding" examines the desires generated and promoted by democracy as a brand--such as choice, participation, freedom of expression, a sense of belonging, and the promise of individual success, all embodied in the notion of “liberty”--and looks at how and where these desires find fulfillment or are displaced. The exhibition also investigates both aesthetic and political systems of representation developed in response to these desires, as well as those power structures that run parallel to a democratic government.

Participants: Yael Bartana Erick Beltran Alexis Bhagat Paul Chan Joseph DeLappe Alexandra Domanovic Sam Durant Kota Ezawa Andrea Geyer Liam Gillick Sharon Hayes Susan Hiller Ashley Hunt I Approve This Message Institute for Infinitely Small Things Emma Kay Komar & Melamid Asaf Koriat Runo Lagomarsino Steve Lambert Les Liens Invisibles Ligorano/Reese Miguel Luciano Michael Mandiberg Emery Martin Aleksandra Mir Carlos Motta Dave Muller Timo Nasseri Ariel Orozco Trevor Paglen PETLab Nadine Robinson Anri Sala Hank Willis Thomas Johan Tiren Brian Tolle Judi Werthein Wooloo Productions The Yes Men Carey Young

Curators: Carin Kuoni, exhibition curator Marisa Olson, Web component curator Bartholomew Ryan, curatorial assistant Jakob Schillinger, curatorial assistant