ART + DESIGN
The exhibition is curated as three sections, using title language directly from the Constitution's Preamble itself. The first section titled We the People: Identities, Voices, Perspectives focuses on the “human side of the exhibition,” asking visitors to ponder how we come to understand who we are, belonging, and the connection to others. “One of the things this section brings forward is that identity is not only personal,” revealed Merkt. “It is shaped through family, work, migration, tradition, community, popular culture, and the expectations placed on us by others.”
Merkt says this section is an invitation to think about self definition, visibility, belonging as an active thing to participate in, and the totality of voices making up America who have not been equally visible or valued. The second section titled Of the United States: Land, Place, Power moves from people to place, Merkt says, considering “how land affects people’s sense of home, history, and connection to the nation.” “Land in America is never just background,” said Merkt. “It carries memories. It supports livelihoods. It holds spiritual, cultural, and ancestral meaning.”
40 | 605MAGAZINE.COM
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online