RNC DIY! Democracy: “I’m melllllting!”

Even John McCain has acknowledged things are worse in America today than they were eight years ago, and according to artists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese, democracy agrees. The duo who brought us "Contract with America" underpants (signed by Newt Gingrich!) will present their work "The State of Things" in front of the Capitol on day one of the Republican National Convention. A 1,000-pound, 20-foot ice sculpture of the word "democracy," the work will be unveiled at noon on Labor Day and melt away over the course of eight to 12 hours. As it does, Ligorano/Reese will stream video, audio and photography related to current sociopolitical realities.

According to The UnConvention, a collaborative project by arts groups like Intermedia and the Walker Art Center, the piece is "a testimonial to the impact eight years of extreme judicial, legislative, and executive actions have had on American democratic institutions — from the landmark Supreme Court decision ‘Bush v. Gore’ in 2000 to presidential signing statements to illegal FISA surveillance."

And: The UnConvention makes the New York Times.