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September 9 – October 14, 2024
Samson Otieno | Jit Chattopadhyay | Hannah Reyes Morales | Fred Ramos | Agata Szymanska-Medina
Almost a quarter of the way through the twenty-first century, the most optimistic promises heralded by the twentieth century seem to be at an inflection point. Among them is electoral democracy as a sign of greater freedom, representation, and transparency. A number of countries have ceded ground to authoritarian right-wing forces not through violence or corruption, but instead through constitutionally sound and electorally justified paths. While this is not a new phenomenon, it seems to have specific contemporary attributes such as the use of new modes of propaganda and publicity, enhanced by social media’s ability to create “alternate truths,” massive online armies to foster a sense of destabilization in citizens, and rippling angry nationalistic populism.
In their path to power, some have focused on a slow erosion of trust in traditional electoral means. Others have utilized the judiciary, slowly confirming judges whose adherence to what has been understood as democratic principles is slight at best. Once in power, such leaders modify constitutions, expand their authority, and persecute enemies, both domestic and foreign.
The End of Democracy in Five Acts is a look at some of the facts and images on the ground in five countries (Kenya, Poland, El Salvador, the Philippines, and India), across four continents. Each body of work is by one observer and doesn’t promise a complete telling of what has happened in these countries, but instead offers a particular vantage point into some of the specifics unique to that place. To be aware that threats against democracy are not isolated to a given country or region can be empowering. The goal with this exhibition is to make palpable the reality that has been transformed under contemporary conditions. Leaving these harmful forms of politics unaddressed seems only to ensure the success of oppressive, antidemocratic, and regressive regimes.
Curated by Keith Miller and Lauren Walsh
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