American Dream

I have some exciting news to share. Jerry and I have become new homeowners! Well the home isn't actually new. It was built in 1976 so it's 32 years old. New enough for us. It wouldn't win a beauty contest but hey, living in the desert with high winds and dust flying everywhere, who needs that? Are we moving to the desert you ask? Well, for one week in August we are. Burningman 2008, and the American Dream, here we come! Yes, our new home is on wheels, with 40,000 original miles we paid $1,200. for it and both of its gas tanks are 3/4 full--what a deal! It was pretty stinky and dirty inside so I've thrown out all the mattresses, cushions and curtains and washed half of the nicotine stained ceiling so far. Supposedly the stove, oven, and refrigerator all work and we will be checking out everything along with the mechanics and buying a couple of new tires as well as getting a new mattress and some new custom cushions made soon.

2008 ART THEME: AMERICAN DREAM!

And so from hour to hour we ripe and ripe,
And then from hour to hour we rot and rot,
And thereby hangs a tale.– William Shakespeare

This year's art theme is about nationality, identity and the nature of patriotism. One species of the patriotic urge conflates the nation state with mass identity. Governments, as actors on a worldwide stage, become a surrogate for self, a vast projection of collective ego. And yet, there is another type of patriotic feeling that attaches us to place and people, to a home and its culture. Both these feeling states (and their attendant ironies) are relevant to this year's theme.

In 2008, leave narrow and exclusive ideologies at home; forget the blue states and the red; let parties, factions and divisive issues fall away, and carefully consider your immediate experience. What has America achieved that you admire? What has it done or failed to do that fills you with dismay? What is laudatory? What is ludicrous? Put blame aside, let humor thrive, and dare to contemplate a larger question: What can America, this stumbling, roused, half-conscious giant, still contribute to the world?