Making Meaning - The Art of Virginia Harris - Post # 2

Coup d’Etat
30 inches X 46 inches. Photoshop manipulated photos printed on fabric. Machine pieced and quilted. Original design. 2004

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Artist Statement
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On November 7, 2000 of the approximate 156,421,311 registered voters 105,405,100 people voted. Of those votes Al Gore got 50,456,002 and George W. Bush got 50,999,897, meaning Gore won the popular vote.

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On December 12, 2000 The Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 to stop the recount of under counted votes in Florida. The basis of the decision to stop the recount was the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. It was found that George W. Bush would suffer “irreparable harm” if the count continued. The justices stated that their ruling to stop the recount was intended to preserve the “fundamental right to vote.” Isn’t it ironic that by not counting all the votes, the right to vote was protected? The irony continues when this decision was to only apply to the 2000 election. It is the first time the Supreme Court has rendered a decision that was not supposed to become the law of the land.

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In the final analysis, five people selected a president in a supposed democracy. By doing so every vote cast in 2000 and this so-called democracy were totally negated.

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A DVD documentary of Virginia's work along with video of her commentary is available for $20.00 + S&H. It contains three sections: biographical, political (with artist commentary about each piece), and a retrospective set to music.

To obtain a copy, email her at: vhquilts@sonic.net