Amy Krzanik reports from North Adams. “While sometimes I want to separate my art from my politics, the impossibility of that grows every day,” states MCLA visual arts professor Melanie Mowinski. Her 50 Card Project, which opened with a reception at MCLA’s Gallery 51 on Thursday, Jan. 25, began on inauguration day of last year. Every week for 50 weeks, Mowinski has printed a new postcard in a limited edition of 100, using vintage letterpress type, linoleum blocks and other printing forms. She’s sent each new card to 15–20 Washington D.C. officials, including the president and vice president, the attorney general, the Senate and House majority and minority leaders, and others. Each week’s quotation was inspired by events happening at the time, as well as by Mowinski’s goal of keeping herself and others energized for the long road ahead. During week five, Scott Pruitt was confirmed as the head of the EPA and she printed a card with the Native American proverb “When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money.” Mowinski says the project is “about being positive, yet at the same time a little subversive.”
Melanie Mowinski and Gallery 51 curator Arthur De Bow; Mowinski’s husband, Doug Molin, with one of her former students, Isaac Wood.
Adazae Shepherd-Edwards, Erica Barreto and Chris Handschuh; Michelle Daly, director of the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, with MCLA music professor Christine Condaris.
Amanda Romanelli, an intern who helped print pieces for the show, with MCLA student Zach Benjamin; writer Seth Brown with artists Sara Farrell Okamura and Hideyo Okamura.
William Archer, Alvin Ouellet and Jose Duran; Kristen Parker and the reception’s youngest (and sleepiest) attendee.
MCLA professors Anne Goodwin and Anna Jaysane-Darr; The complete set of cards is available for purchase.
Quote from basketball coach John Wooden and actress and activist Laverne Cox.