marker, colored pencil, ink; 16×20”
“For this project, we picked a topic about a current political issue choice and researched it. Through my research I learned about anti-pluralistic populism. Populism is the idea that a politician gains people’s support by telling them that they are oppressed, and they, the politician, will fight against the people that are oppressing them. However, in certain brands of populism, such as the Anti-Pluralistic variety, they include anyone who has different ideas in the “oppressing” group and focus the feelings of hate and anger of their followers at those people who believe differently than them.
The entire composition of the piece is based on a scene from the Lord of the Rings, when Saruman, a leader that represents a lot of the ideas in Anti-Pluralist Populism, is inciting his armies to violence against others.
Hatred is a dangerous tool. But we can try to see people for the good in them, because, though we can disagree about some fundamental things, most people are trying to do the right thing. You can vote for leaders that, instead of pushing hatred and violence, will help us to work together, and heal the wounds that threaten to tear our nation and world apart.”
ARTIST BIO: Joshua Graham is a grade 11 student at Butler Tech School of Art studying art under art teacher Mary Catherine Ruby.