Today, Yosi Sergant, the Director of Communications for the NEA, was demoted from his position after a smear campaign by Glenn Beck.
Sergant was the impetus for Shepherd Fairey’s HOPE campaign, Ron English’s Abraham Obama, the Manifest HOPE Gallery in Denver, MoveOn’s artist competition, and just about ever cool collaboration between the Obama campaign and artists.
Sergant’s the reason there’s a street artist in the Smithsonian.
Sergant’s campaigns were the first time that I felt the art that me and my friends made could have the least relevance to power. Regardless of what you think of Fairey, Sergant’s work with him did a huge deal to legitimize a genre of art generally scorned by the high-art establishment. We owe him a debt. Street artists, pop-surrealists, kids with sketchbooks and comics obsessions. We finally have someone in the NEA who GOT us.
So, if you’re not writing to the NEA to tell them it’s jack-shit ridiculousness for Glenn Beck to set their policy, write to them because Yosi Sergant is one of our supporters, and we should return the favor.
You can write to the NEA at webmgr@arts.endow.gov
2 comments ↓
To Whom it may concern,
I am sickened by the lack of support given to Yosi Sergant. I do not think he should be demoted. Glenn Beck and these other crazy people are calling “a call to action ” a political view. This is insane. My father who is against Obama still liked the call to service on Memorial Day. He asked how he could get involved. I went to clean up a neighborhood that day, have done it since and have told many of my friends who then followed suit. This is a POSITIVE message to spread and as a citizen of the USA. I applaud this idea.
REINSTATE YOSI ! Do not back down to a bunch of self taught idiots. We voted for change because we need it. Stand up for what’s right.
Thank you,
Sweet P Vaughn
REINSTATE YOSI!!!
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