Derek Hess and Kent Smith are neither pessimists nor defeatists. They are realists casting an unwavering, unblinking and precise gaze on the way things are today. What they've seen and what they've felt has prompted one to draw, the other to pick up the pen.
The fruit of their collaborative vision is now a book entitled “Please God Save Us.” Based on works that were originally viewed in 2006, the current volume is an eclectic j'accuse -- a compendium of challenges to a dismayed and (perhaps) disaffected public that seems all too blind to the myriad number of calamities that have occurred in the last decade. Indeed, it seems to address everything -- the war in Iraq, the rise of fundamentalism (here as well as in the Middle East), the rape of the environment. Even the issue of stem cell research gets a nod.
Hess and Smith will both be at CPop Gallery on Friday, August 1 for a release party and book signing. The event will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. You will have an opportunity to purchase the book and to ask questions of both men.
Smith offered Metromix some of his observations...
Is the title of the book intentionally ironic?
The title of the book grew out of an earlier Hess art opening where much of this work was first seen. On December 15, 2006 Hess had a show called “Please God Save Us From Your Followers.” The title was reduced so that each reader could pick their own villain. There are many to choose from in this book.
Who the reader wants God to save them from is up to each reader.
Are we living in a society where words are now irrevocably manipulated by the media?
As I attempt to demonstrate in Chapter Nine, the media can support facts and beliefs that are unsubstantiated. Now this is certainly not the case for all members of the media. But media consumers need to approach their information appetite the way they approach their physical diet. If they only eat from one part of the food pyramid their long term health will be negatively affected. The intelligent approach is to have a balanced diet and balance your news sources.
What can artists and writers do to stem the tide?
Stay in the game. Don't shy away from the debate. Attempt to engage the public in thought provoking material. Disagreement does not mean that people should be disagreeable. And dissent can be patriotic.
That being said, artists and writers need to have thick skin. Passionate topics often create passionate responses -- and that's fine. Remember: Even Jesus had haters.
