The United States of Amnesia II
1 media/IMG_4717_thumb.jpg 2022-12-08T21:33:27+00:00 Jessica Bocinski a602570e86f7a6936e40ab07e0fddca6eccf4e9b 277 1 Gerald Clarke, The United States of Amnesia II (detail), ink on paper, 2017. Purchased with funds from the Ellingson Family plain 2022-12-08T21:33:27+00:00 Jessica Bocinski a602570e86f7a6936e40ab07e0fddca6eccf4e9bThis page is referenced by:
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The United States of Amnesia II by Gerald Clarke
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Gerald Clarke is an artist and an Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at UCR from the Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians. Combining various media in his sculptures, paintings, works on paper, videos, performances, and installations, Clarke is inspired by his cultural heritage, expressing traditional ideas in contemporary forms. Clarke works against stereotypes of Native American art and culture, repurposing found objects and creating clever juxtapositions to make profound political statements. Utilizing humor to expose historical and present-day prejudice and injustice, Clarke brings a decolonial perspective to urgent cultural and political issues facing our world.
"Using immigration data and maps from the Internet, I projected maps representing immigration settlement patterns onto paper and stamped the names of the country of origin onto the paper using a rubber stamp. England, Germany, Ireland, Poland, and Russia to name a few. The work took about 6 hours to complete and the "map" revealed itself over time. The current immigration debate puzzles me. Unless you're Native, you come from immigrants." - Gerald Clarke
What gives this artwork its form is not what you think. Stamping each country individually, Gerald Clarke, a member of the Cahuilla tribe, created an alternate history of the United States through past immigrants’ countries of origin. Clarke explained, “The work took about six hours to complete and the ‘map’ revealed itself over time. The current immigration debate puzzles me. Unless you're Native, you come from immigrants." In every corner of the States, you can find a different place shaped by the people who have settled there. By emphasizing various countries of origin, Clarke highlights the immigrant diversity in America while presenting a new perspective on the American demographic.
