I’m sitting in one of my favourite coffee shops while trying to write this newsletter. My head feels heavy, my fingers are tapping but not writing anything, and time keeps ticking away. It’s election day in Belgium. Today, I have to vote in the building I left as my workplace just a year ago. It’s crazy how quickly things can change, right?
One of my best friends is sitting next to me, studying for an exam she has tomorrow. Suddenly, she asks me: “Do you know 'I Want a President,' 1992 by Zoe Leonard?”
I Want a President (1992)
I Want a President is an iconic work by artist Zoe Leonard (b. 1961, USA). It’s a one-page text that stands as a powerful and poetic wish list for political leaders who fall outside the norm and have lived on the fringes of society. Zoe Leonard envisions a country where leaders not only (try to) understand but also share in the lives of those often excluded from positions of power.
Political and Social Context
Leonard wrote the text in the early 1990s in the US, a period marked by the AIDS crisis, increasing awareness of LGBTQ+ rights, and broader conversations about inclusivity and representation in politics. The text serves as a critical reflection on the limitations of the political class and a powerful call for diversity and representation in leadership.
Impact and Relevance
The work challenges us to think about the qualifications and experiences we value in our political leaders. It’s a manifesto for a more empathetic and diverse political future. Below is the artwork, which gives me goosebumps every time I read it. And I am sure it speaks for itself.
After this political (art) discourse, I just wanted to say… thank you for reading this newsletter, for your (paid!) support, for liking, and sharing. This little corner of the internet gives me hope that tomorrow’s world might not be so bleak and dark, and that together we can inspire each other to create a better future.
Consider subscribing to the paid version if you support new voices in the art world. You empower me to speak, create, write, and engage more people in contemporary art.
See you next week,
Emily
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Whew. That took my breath away.