RNC DIY!

Visitors flying into the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention were, up until last Friday, to be greeted upon arrival by the gigantic face of a U.S. soldier. New York–based artist Suzanne Opton photographed active-duty military personnel and arranged to have their faces appear on five billboards in Minneapolis and St. Paul. One, a 48-footer on Highway 5, was to be positioned at the intersection of Post Road just outside the international airport. But CBS Outdoor cancelled the contract, citing that they feared drivers might misinterpret their message.

A new ad campaign urges Twin Citizens to “make an effort” to be nice to visiting Republicans. The Strib is reportedly cutting ties with the Associated Press. And Fox News, again, shows its news mettle. All in this edition of Media Monitor.

As a part of the UnConvention, a sideshow to the Republican National Convention, next week Miami artist Steven Gagnon will drive his sculptural contraption to the Twin Cities and park it in a public spot near Intermedia Arts, a sponsor of the festivities. Gagnon’s “border cruiser” calls attention to the experience of undocumented people in the U.S.

East-Lake points out new billboards produced by The Daily Show to welcome the Republican National Convention. This one, near Highway 77 and 494, welcomes “rich white oligarchs.” Jon Stewart’s Comedy Central show will be taping in St. Paul Sept. 2 through 5 at The History Theatre at McNally Smith College of Music.

Last time the Republicans had a national convention, New York-based designers Thomas Fuchs and Felix Sockwell couldn’t pass up a chance to protest — only they did so in a medium they’re comfortable with: They reinvented the GOP elephant in 100 different ways. Sockwell distributed the logos — a Pepsi-sponsored GOP elephant, a trunk transformed into a gun aimed back at a soldier’s head, a pachyderm turned into a hunch-backed man with a cane — in a bicycle rickshaw throughout New York.

With another convention in the wings, I contacted the artists to see if they had any updates to their self-published book, GOP 100: Deconstructing Dumbo. While they said the book is still fresh four years later and doesn’t necessarily need updating, they had one: a retitled piece showing an elephant in prison stripes (reminiscent of this year’s convention logo). It’s now called “Larry Craig.”

On September 2, hundreds of semi-trucks are still planning on doing a rolling protest of the Republican National Convention, as MnIndy reported last month. Driver and event organizer Michael “JB” Schafner says he’s plotted a route that takes the convoy past the Capitol and within six blocks of the Xcel Energy Center — within good distance to bring a message of outrage over high oil prices and a government focusing on international economics instead of drivers and consumers here at home. See the route inside.

While the Star Tribune calls The UnConvention — with its high-profile institutional backers like the Walker Art Center and Intermedia Arts — “a motley crew of artist/activists,” the New York Times gave the Twin Cities organization top billing in a Friday piece on nonpartisan art planned for the Republican National Convention. And while The UpTake is an UnConvention partner, its just-announced UnConvention TV (a series of hourlong broadcasts from various sources, including The UpTake and filmmaker Eric Tretbar) will have some friendly competition: Current.tv is sending Trace Crutchfield to both Denver and St. Paul to do a not-for-MSM series called “Unconventionally Yours.” The first episode from Denver airs tomorrow, while MSP debuts on Thurs., Aug. 21; see the trailer inside.

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 [...]

What does liberty look and sound like? Does it come in the form of a grass-covered bike or an enormous phallic symbol? Is it a giant polar bear puppet that serves as a reminder of global warming? An 11-person bike made from cannibalized cars? Or since it’s State Fair time, maybe it’s Dick Cheney’s head [...]

Meet the F-30 Pedal Cloud, an 11-person bicycle that’s been drawing stares at local festivals and parades all summer. And next month it’s heading to the Republican National Convention to be part of the Freedom Parade protest.
The bike’s name — both the number and the weather reference — comes from Forecast, the St. Paul public [...]