January 6, 2022

>>> COMING UP TONIGHT, WE'RE CONNECTING YOU WITH STORIES ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND POLITICS, INCLUDING ARTIST IMO IMEH POWERFUL EXAMINATION OF THE JANUARY 6TH INSURRECTION ATTEMPT AT THE U.S. CAPITOL.

>> I WAS INTERESTED IN PAINTING A PICTURE OF SOMEONE WHO STUMBLED INTO A PIT REALLY OF HER OWN MAKING.

>> WHAT EXACTLY IS THE ROLE OF ART IN THIS POLITICALLY POLARIZED WORLD?

WE'LL FIND OUT WITH POLITICAL CONSULTANE RYAN MCCOLLUM.

>> A POLITICAL CARTOON WHEN EFFECTIVE WHETHER GIVE THE VOTER A DIFFERENT ASPECT THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN.

ALLOWS YOUR MIND TO LOOK AT THAT ISSUE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

>> AND BERKSHIRES-BASED ARTIST POPS PETERSON SHARES HIS PASSION FOR ART, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND CIVIL RIGHTS.

>> NORMAL ROCKWELL HIMSELF HAD BEEN FORBID TON DO ANY MAIN CHARACTERS WHO ARE NOT WHITE.

SO I JUST REDID HIS THING WITH A WHOLE DIFFERENT CAST AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS COMMUNITY JUST BASICALLY DRAFTED ME, BECAUSE THEY SAID, WOW, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT WORK YOU'RE DOING.

>> JOIN US FOR THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS WE EXPLORE THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, UP NEXT ON "CONNECTING POINT."

>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" IS PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR "CONNECTING POINT," YOUR SOURCE FOR CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

TODAY MARKS THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTEMPTED INSURRECTION AT THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL, AND WE'RE MARKING THIS SOMBER OCCASION BY TAKING A LOOK AT THE ROLE OF ART IN POLITICS THIS EVENING.

LOCAL ARTIST AND WESTFIELD STATE UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR IMO IMEH IS SET TO DEBUT A NEW PROJECT ENTITLED, "IN HIS NAME," AT PULP GALLERY IN HOLYOKE ON JANUARY 15TH.

THE EXHIBIT, WHICH FOXZS ON THE JANUARY 6TH INSURRECTION ATTEMPT AT THE U.S. CAPITOL, HAS BEEN A WORK IN PROCESS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW.

JPS HAVED HIM THIS PAST SUMMER DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THE PROJECT AND WE REJOINED HIM RECENTLY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BOTH THE COMPLETED EXHIBITION AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT.

>> JANUARY 6TH IN MANY WAYS REPRESENTS THE AMERICAN STORY IN SO MANY WAYS.

AND SO AS I'VE BEEN DEVELOPING THE DRAWINGS, I HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WRITING ON THE SIDE AND TAKING A LOT OF NOTES, AND REALIZING THAT THE STORY IS SO MUCH GREATER THAN ANY ONE DAY.

AND SO THAT HAS INFORMED THE -- THE WORKS THEMSELVES.

IT'S INFORMED THE DIRECTION THAT I'VE WANTED TO TAKE WITH SOME OF THE PIECES.

AND AS IF WORKS ARE STILL IN PROGRESS, THEY'RE STILL IN DEVELOPMENT, IT'S IN MANY BASIS INFORMED HOW -- WAYS INFORMED HOW I'LL BRING THEM TO AN END.

>> I NOTICED THAT MANY OF THE PIECES ARE BLACK AND WHITE.

BUT THERE IS ONE PIECE THAT DOES INCORPORATE SOME COLOR AND EXPH INTERESTING MATERIALS -- SOME COLOR AND INTERESTING MATERIALS.

TELL ME ABOUT INCORPORATING COLOR AND THE MATERIAL YOU USE.

>> THE ONE THAT CURRENTLY HAS COLOR, IS TITLED, "AND I'LL BE THERE WITH YOU."

THAT IS A WORK THAT FEATURES A FEMALE IN THE CENTER OF THE CANVAS WHO IS LAID OUT IN A POSE AS IF SHE'S BEING CARRIED.

AND THAT FEMALE REPRESENTS THE WOMAN WHO WAS SHOT AT THE CAPITOL.

HER NAME IS ASHLI BABBITT.

SHE IS IN MANY WAYS A TRAGIC FIGURE.

AND THAT PIECE HAS COLOR FOR A VERY SPECIFIC REASON.

SHE REPRESENTS REALLY AMERICA'S EVERY MAN OR EVERY WOMAN, RIGHT, BUT SHE -- SHE'S A VETERAN.

I MEAN, LET'S START THERE, RIGHT?

THESE A VETERAN WHO IN MANY WAYS BECAME THE DEFINITION OF I DON'T WANT TO SAY A TRAITOR OR SOMEONE WHO DOES TREASON, BUT SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO OVERTHROW HER OWN GOVERNMENT.

AND SO HER STORY IS FASCINATING IN HOW SHE WAS KILLED.

I WAS INTERESTED IN PAINTING A PICTURE OF SOMEONE WHO STUMBLED INTO A PIT, REALLY OF HER OWN MAKING, BUT IS NOW BEING HELD UP NOT BY ANYONE'S ARMS BUT BY THE VERY STAKES THAT THE FLAGS THAT COVER HER WERE MEANT TO CARRY.

THE FLAG MOTIFS THAT ARE AROUND HER BODY ARE HER COVERING.

THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT IN SOME WAYS THE IDEALS THAT -- IN SOME WAYS THAT SHE CARRIED, THE THINGS THAT SHE BELIEVED.

BUT THE TITLE OF THE WORK ALSO TELLS YOU A DONE ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS IMAGE.

THE TITLE Q AND THE -- "AND I'LL BE THERE WITH YOU," SOUNDS BIBLICAL, BUT IT'S RIGHT OUT OF THE TRANSCRIPT OF WHAT DONALD TRUMP BED BEFORE SHE RUSHED THE CAPITOL AND SHE WAS KILLED.

HE WASN'T THERE.

HE WASN'T THERE.

SHE DIED ALOWER THAN.

SO HER -- ALONE.

HER FIGURE IS TAKEN BY A WORK FROM MICHELANGELO, WHERE THE FORM OF JESUS IS BEING HELD BY THE VIRIG MARY -- VIRGIN MARY AFTER HE'S BEEN CRUCIFIED.

I REPLACED HER BODY BY THAT OF JESUS BECAUSE IN SOME MINDS SHE HAS BECOME A MARTYR, BUT IN MANY MINDS, IN -- AND MY OWN INCLUDED, SHE'S JUST A REALLY, REALLY TRAGIC FIGURE.

>> WHICH -- THIS EXHIBIT WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE MUSICAL COMPOSITION OF HANIF NELSON.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO INCLUDE MUSIC AS PART OF THIS EXHIBIT?

HOW DO THE TWO MEDIUMS COLLABORATE TO TELL THIS STORY?

>> TO ME THE STORY IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST A VISUAL EXPRESSION.

THE STORY IS MUSICAL.

IT IS TEXTURAL.

THE IDEA OF MIRRORING IMAGE WITH CAPTION, THE IDEA OF MARRYING IMAGE WITH MELODY, TO TELL A FULLER, BROADER, AND MORE ACCURATE STORY IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE WANTED TO DO FOR YEARS.

>> WHEN WE LAST SPOKE TO YOU, YOU STATED THAT YOUY FUEDS TO SEPARATE -- YOU REFUSED TO SEPARATE YOURSELF FROM THIS STORY AND YOU'RE UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT IT.

WHAT CONVERSATIONS AND DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE HAVE WHEN THEY ARE ENGAMINGING WITH THIS -- ENGAGING WITH THIS EXHIBIT?

>> OKAY.

SO THE GOOD PROFESSOR SORIAL ANSWER WOULD BE, I HOPE THAT THIS SPARKS A CONVERSATION ABOUT RACE AND -- I DON'T KNOW IF I BELIEVE THAT ANYMORE.

I AM VERY, VERY, VERY SATISFIED WITH THESE IDEAS AS UNCOMFORTABLE AS THEY ARE, AND AS HONEST AS THEY ARE AND AS RAW AS THEY ARE, AND AS UNEDITED AS THEY ARE -- OTHER THING ABOUT THESE IMAGES I'M WORKING ON.

THEY'RE NOT EDITED.

THEY'RE BLACK AND WHITE ON CANVAS.

I'M NOT DOING A LOT OF ERASING.

THEY'RE THERE.

I AM OKAY WITH THESE IMAGES AND ACCOMPANYING TEXT AND ACCOMPANYING MUSICAL SCORES, SITTING AND MAKING PEOPLE THINK AND MAYBE EVEN CAUSING SOME DISCOMFORT.

I AM OKAY IF THAT'S ALL THAT HAPPENS FOR NOW.

AND IF MORE COMES FROM THAT, THEN THAT RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD BE ON ALL OF US.

THE ARTISTS AND THE VIEWERS, RIGHT?

THE -- THE PERFORMERS AND THE YAWBZ.

SOME -- AUSTIN.

SOME -- IOWANS SOMEHOW WORKING TOGETHER TO PUSH THIS NATION INTO A NEW PLACE.

THAT IS SOMETHING WE DO TOGETHER.

THERE'S NO ONE PERSON OR GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT CAN DO THAT.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT "CONNECTING POINT" EXPLORES THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE ANYTIME FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES AND CONTENT.

IN THIS WEEK'S DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE, ARTIST AND EDUCATOR IMO IMEH, WHO WE JUST PROFILED, DISCUSSIONS HIS WORK ENTITLED, "AND I'LL BE THERE WITH YOU," WHICH EXPLORES THE DEATH OF ASHLI BABBITT, WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A CAPITOL POLICE OFFICER DURING THE JANUARY 6TH INSURRECTION.

>> HE'S A HUMAN BEING AND I'M TRYING TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW TO DEPICT HER.

SO IN THIS CASE HERE, I HAD A NUMBER OF IDEASES.

DO -- IDEAS.

DO I MAKE HER -- DO I PUT HER IN THIS POSITION BUT NO ONE IS HOLDING HER BUT MAYBE THE VARIOUS FLAGS THAT WERE THERE THAT DAY ARE THE ONES HOLDING HER BODY UP.

>> YOU CAN FIND THAT DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE ONLINE RIGHT NOW.

A NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> BERKSHIRES-BASED ARTIST MAURICE "POPS" PETERSON IS ALSO A PUBLIC SPEAKER ON THE ARTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS.

HIS SOLO EXHIBITION, "ROCKWELL RESAYSED -- REVISITED," IS THE KONG INVEST OF ITS KIND AT THE NORMAL ROCKWELL MUSEUM.

IN HIS MOST RECENT WORK INCLUDES A REIMAGINING OF ROCKWELL'S RUBY BRIDGES ENTITLED, "WALK WITH HER," WHICH IS A MURAL ABOVE CENTER STREET IN PITTSFIELD.

PRODUCER DAVE FRASER VISITED WITH PETERSON RECENTLY TO DISCUSS HIS WORK AND HIS PASSION FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.

>> NORMAN ROCKWELL'S FOR FREEDOM SERIES TOURED THE UNITED STATES IN 2018 IN CELEBRATIONCH ITS 75th ANNIVERSARY.

BUT ISTHE INTERPRETATION OF THESE CLASSIC IMAGES BY POPS PETERSON THAT HAS PERHAPS GIVEN MR. ROCKWELL'S WORK RENEWED LIFE.

>> AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE REALLY COOL TO WALK AROUND STOCKBRIDGE WHERE NORMAN ROCKWELL DID HIS PICTURES, AND REDO WHAT HE DID AS IT'S HAPPENING NOW.

IT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE A SHOW IN A BASEMENT ROOM ONE DAY AND HAVE MY FRIENDS.

IT WOULD JUST BE FUN.

>> HIS WORK EMYOU A LIGHT -- EMULATES THE ILLUSTRATOR'S STYLE WHILE TACKLING DIVERSITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND IT MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN.

>> PEOPLE OF COLOR HAD BEEN ALWAYS LEFT OUT.

AMERICAN LANDSCAPE -- OUT OF THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE.

NORMAL ROCKWELL HIMSELF HAD BEEN FORBID DONE DO ANY MAIN CHARACTERS WHO WERE NOT WHITE.

SO I JUST REDID HIS THING WITH A WHOLE DIFFERENT CAST AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS COMMUNITY JUST BASICALLY DRAFTED ME, BECAUSE THEY SAID, WOW, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT WORK YOU'RE DOING.

>> USING PHOTOGRAPHY AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, PETERSON REINTERPRETS THE PLACID BEDTIME RITUAL OF A WHITE FAMILY TO FREEDOM FROM WHAT, MAKING IT A BLACK FAMILY WITH DAD LOOKING ANXIOUSLY OVER HIS SHOULDER AT WHAT MAY BE HAPPENING OUTSIDE HIS WINDOW.

ANOTHER ADAPTATION WAS "THANKS GAY DINNER," A GLEEFUL DINNER.

THE DINNER IS HOSTED BY HIMSELF AND HIS HUSBAND MARK JOHNSON.

INSPIRED BY "FREEDOM OF SPEECH," PETERSON SAYS HIS WORKS REPRESENTS THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED.

FREEDOM TO WORM WOULD INCLUDE AND RESPECT ALL FAITHS AND REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF THE BERK SUNSHINE REGION'S RESIDENTS.

>> IT WAS SEATING PEOPLE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

>> IT'S BEEN THE MOST UNEXPECT AND THE THE MOST GRATIFYING THING THAT'S EVER HAPPENED TO ME.

>> ROCKWELL'S IMAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, "THE PROBLEM WE ALL LIVE WITH," FEATURES RUBY BRIDGES ON HER WAY TO AN ALL-WHITE NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC SCHOOL IN 1960.

JESS RECENTLY -- JUST RECENTLY PETERSON TRANSFORMED RUBY INTO A 28-FOOT HIGH MURAL IN RECOGNITION OF THE JUBILEE HILL NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> IT USES RUBY BRIDGE'S IMAGE, TO RAINBOW ROCKWELL.

ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE IN COLOR, IMMIGRANTS, GAY PEOPLE, TRANS PEOPLE, ALL ARE REPRESENTED IN RUBY.

IT'S IN THIS LOCATION BECAUSE BACK IN THE '70S THIS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT URBAN LANDSCAPE AND IT WAS CHANGED FOR AN URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT AND EVERYBODY WHO LIVED HERE HAD TO MOVE.

THEY WERE ALL KICKED OUT.

AND SHE REPRESENTS ANYBODY WHO'S GONE THROUGH SOME ADVERSITY WHO HAVE HAD TO ENDURE HARDSHIPS, BUT IT JUSTETS THAT YOU NEED TO WALK -- JUST REPRESENT THAT IS YOU NEED TO WALK ON.

>> ALPO POPS PETERSON NEVER PLANNED TO BE IN THE ROCKWELL WORK, IT'S GIVEN HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE FOR HIM AND WHAT HIS HOPES ARE FOR THE FUTURE.

>> I'M SOMEBODY WHO'S COME FROM A VERY DARK PLACE BEING BLACK AND MY BEING GAY AND FEELING THAT THE WORLD WAS JUST ANGLED AGAINST THEM, YOU KNOW.

AND THAT YOU WOULD NEVER REALLY, REALLY BE FREE, THAT YOU'D NEVER BE HAPPY, THAT YOU'D NEVER HAVE A LOVE OF YOUR OWN OR A WORLD WHERE YOU COULD JUST BE PROUD AND WALK DOWN THE STREET.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >> AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF ARTIST AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST POPSES AND HIS POWERFUL WORK, THEN HEAD ON OVER RIGHT NOW TO NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT FOR A DIGITAL EXTRA FEATURING THE ARTIST THAT YOU WON'T SEE ANYWHERE ELSE.

>> SO HERE'S ONE OF THE BARN OF HANCOCK, SHAKER VILLAGE, DEES SENDING FROM THE SKY AS A -- DESCENDING FROM THE SKY AS A U.F.O.

AND HERE'S IT FLOATING AWAY LIKE A HOT AIR BALLOON BECAUSE OF ALL THE NONSENSE BEING DISCUSSED INSIDE.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE.

GODZILLA TEAR FIZZING NORTH STREET.

>> , SURE -- BE SURE TO CATCH THIS DIGITAL EXTRA AND SOUTH BEACH MORE AVAILABLE ONLINE RIGHT NOW.

>>> ART AND POLITICS HAVE LONG HAD A COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP.

FROM LATE SHOW MONOLOGUES TO EDITORIAL CASH TO ANSWER, POLITICS HAS BEEN A MUSE FOR CREATIVE AND COMMENTARY AND POLITICIANS HAVE USED ART AS A TOOL TO ENGAGE AND CONNECT WITH VOTERS AS SEEN IN THE MANY BATTLES OVER THE USE OF POPULAR MUSIC IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS.

AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THAT RELATIONSHIP HAS ONLY INTENSIFIED AS POLITICAL DIVISIONS HAVE GROWN.

SO IN THIS POLITICALLY POLARIZED AND MEDIA SATURATED WORLD, WHAT LIES AHEAD AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND POLITICS?

I SPOKE REQUEST POLITICAL CONSULTANT RYAN MCCOLLUM TO FIND OUT.

>> FROM THE BEGINNING OF POLITICS, FROM THE BEGINNING OF DEMOCRACY, ART HAS HAD SAN IMPACT ON POLITICS.

BECAUSE BOTH ART AND POLITICS ARE VERY BROAD SUBJECTS.

THEY HAVE TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON ONE ANOTHER.

AND SO WHETHER IT'S MUSIC OR POETRY OR THE FINE ARTS LIKE WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURES, BUT ALSO IN CAMPAIGN ART, RIGHT?

SO PROPAGANDA FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORDS, NEEDS TO BE APPEALING TO MAKE YOUR CASE.

SO WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN T LOGO, THE LAWN SIGN, EVERYTHING THAT IS PART OF YOUR CAMPAIGN SHOULD BE ESTHETICALLY PLEASING, RIGHT, AND THAT TAKES ARTISTS.

>> THE WORLD WORLD -- ART WORLD TENDS TO LEAN TOWARD MORE -- MORE LORD THE LIBERAL SIDE OF POLITICS.

WHY DON'T WE SEE MORE CONFEDERATE ART IN ARTISTS?

>> HISTORICALLY IT SEEMS LIKE THAT IN AMERICA.

I THINK MAYBE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU ALSO CAN'T DIVORCE POLITICS AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS.

AND THE ART SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN AMERICA HAVE TENDED TO BE MORE PROGRESSIVE AND TO BE MORE LIBERAL, WHETHER IT'S THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA OR THE PROTEST GENERATION DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.

BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THERE'S NOT CONSERVATIVE ARTISTS, RIGHT?

THERE'S PLENTY OF CONSERVATIVE ARTISTS.

THERE'S PLENTY -- ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF THE FAITH COMMUNITY, RIGHT?

SO NOWADAYS IF YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTRY, THE COUNTRY MUSIC GENRE, THEY TEND TO BE MORE CONSERVATIVE.

AND THEY MIGHT NOT BE OUTRIGHT SAYING, YOU KNOW, I'M A TRUMP GUY, BUT THEY SAY THINGS THAT ARE MORE CONSERVATIVE ABOUT STANDING UP FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AND PROTECTING THEIR SECOND APARTMENT RIGHTS.

SO THERE'S -- SECOND APARTMENTS RIGHTS.

THERE'S NOT A LACK OF IT.

JUST THROUGH ORGANIC AND TIME IN AMERICA, THAT SOCIAL CHANGE PIECE IN POLITICS HAVE SO ENTERWOVEN THAT ARTISTS TEND TO BE A BIT MORE LIBERAL.

>> THROUGHOUT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS WE HAD SEEN THE CLASH BETWEEN ARTS AND POLITICS.

THE FIRST MAJOR COLLISION ACCORDING TO "ROLLING STONE WAS WAS SPRUCE SPRINK TEEN -- BRUCE SPRINK TEEN EVENTING TO HIS USE OF "BORN IN THE USA."

SHOULD ART BE SEPARATED FROM POLITICS OR IS THE OVERLAP NECESSARY?

>> I THINK THE OVERLAP IS NECESSARY.

RIGHT?

SO BECAUSE ART AND POLITICS AGAIN, LIKE I SETTED, ARE SO -- I SAID, ARE SO DEEPLY IMPACTFUL ON OUR LIVES, AND ALSO JUST HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO BE INTER WOVEN.

BUT LIKE I JUST SAID, ARTISTS ARE HUMANS AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PRINCIPLES AS WELL.

AND SO YOU KNOW, PHARRELL OR NEIL YOUNG NOT WANTING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BE USING THEIR MUSIC, IT'S THEIR RIGHT.

IT'S THEIR WORK.

>> POLITICAL CAR SOONERS IS ANOTHER ART FORM THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.

ACCORDING TO BRIT TANNICA.COM, THE FIRST KNOWN CARTOON WAS PUBLISHED BY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

IN 1754.

SO DOES ART THAT COMMENTS OSES N OR EXPLORES HAVE ANY -- >> DEFINITELY.

JUST LIKE SATIRE AND A MONOLOGUE, A POLITICAL CAR SOON WHEN DONE -- WHEN EFFECTIVE, WILL GIVE THE VOTER A DIFFERENT ASPECT THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN TO MAKE IT ABSURD OR TO MAKE IT RIDICULOUS AND TO PUT IT INTO A CARTOON FORMAT ALLOWS YOUR MIND TO MAYBE LOOK AT THAT ISSUE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

>> THE POLITICS OF NOW CAN BE VIEWED VERY DIFFERENTLY WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME.

WHAT ROLE IF ANY DOES ART HAVE ON HOW HISTORY LOOKS AT NOTABLE POLITICAL MOMENTS?

>> I THINK IT'S VERY INTERESTING.

ONE OF THE BEST PIECES OF ART NOW IN MY OPINION IS THERE'S A ROBERT E. LEE STATUE THAT'S BEEN TRANSFORMED WITH GRAFFITI AND DIFFERENT PIECES OF ART ALL OVER THE STATUE AND PROJECTION ON THE STATUE AS ALMOST TAKING THAT OLD PIECE OF ART AND MAKING IT NEW AND POLITICS OF NOW TO PROTEST BLACK -- TO SAY BELIEVES.

SO THAT -- "BLACK LIVES MATTER."

SO USING THAT MEDIUM OF A CIVIL WAR GENERAL WHO WANTED TO KEEP BLACK PEOPLE ENSLAVED TO NOW SAY "BLACK LIVES MATTER" IS VERY INTERESTING.

>> IN THIS POLITICALLY POLARIZED WORLD SATURATED WITH MEDIA, WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND POLITICS?

>> PEOPLE ARE CONSUMING ART MUCH MORE DIFFERENTLY IN THEIR HOMES, ON THEIR PHONES, ON THEIR COMPUTERS, RIGHT?

AND SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE.

I THINK AS POLITICS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE HUNDREDS OF YEARS, SO HAS ART CHANGED FOR OVER HUNDREDS OF YEARS EVERYONE BUT THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN HAND IN HAND.

SO I THINK AS OUR POLITICS CHANGE AND -- YOU KNOW, WE ARE POLARIZED TO A DETECTIVE.

I THINK -- I WOULD -- TO A DEGREE.

I WOULD POSSIBLE WRIT THAT WE'VE BEEN -- POSSIBLEIT THAT WE'VE BEEN POLARIZESSED IN THE PAST.

WHEN YOU'RE IN THE NOW YOU SAY IT'S NEVER BEEN THIS BAD.

BUT IT WAS PRETTY BAD WHEN MY GRANDFATHER COULDN'T DRINK FROM A CERTAIN WATER FOUNTAIN, RIGHT?

THAT'S PRETTY POLARIZED, RIGHT?

SO IT DOES FEEL VERY POLARIZED NOWADAYS.

BUT WE'VE ALWAYS KIND OF HAD THAT.

AND THAT IS THE -- THAT'S WHAT MAKES AMERICA KIND OF GREAT, RIGHT?

IT'S THE -- YOU KNOW, OR DUMBSY GREAT.

CHURCHILL SAID DEMOCRACY IS THE WORST FORM OF GOVERNMENT BESIDES ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT.

SO IT SEEMS BAD BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS WORSE.

SO AS POLITICS CHANGE AND THAT AS AS WE'RE POLARIZED, ART IS GOING TO BE THE SAME WAY.

¶ ¶ >>> AND IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW POLITICS IS VIEWED THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ARTIST, THEN LOG ON TO OUR WEB PAGE AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT FOR A DIGITAL EXTRA AS ACCLAIMED EDITORIAL CARTOONIST CHAN LOWE, WHOSE WORK HAS APPEARED IN NUMEROUS PUBLICATIONS INCLUDING "THE NEW YORK TIMES" AND THE "BERKSHIRE EAGLE," SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE ART OF CRFTING -- CRAFTING OPINION CARTOONS.

>> SOMETIMES YOU GO FOR THE PUN, THE KICK IN THE HEAD.

-- PUNCH, THE KICK IN THE HEAD.

WHEREAS EDITOR CALS YOU WANT TO BACK INTO A TOPIC FOR PEOPLE TO SEE IT YOUR WAY.

>> DON'T MISS THIS RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> THE CENTER FOR NEW AMERICANS HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATION AND RESOURCE CENTER FOR IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS.

AND FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, THE ORGANIZATION HAS MIXED BUSINESS AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION BY HOLDING A FUND-RAISER CALLED, "30 POEMS IN NOVEMBER," WHERE PEOPLE WRITE, READ, AND RAISE MONEY TO SUPPORT THE CENTER'S FREE CLASSES AND SERVICES.

PRODURER DAVE FRASER -- PRODUCER DAVE FRASER BRINGS US MORE ABOUT THE EVENTS AND THE WORK THAT C.N.A.

DOES.

>> I WANT TO KNOW HOW THE SUNRISE SPEAKS AND THE MULL -- FULL MOON TURNS YOUR HEAD.

>> ONE BY ONE THEY SHARED THEIR LITERARY WORK.

"30 POEMS IN NOVEMBER" WAS LAUNCHED IN 2008.

BOTH EXPERIENCED AND NOVICE WRITERS PARTICIPATED, EACH CRAFTING A POEM A DAY THROUGHOUT THE MONTH.

>> IT'S AN INCREDIBLE CONCEPT THAT PEOPLE CONTACT PEOPLE THEY KNOW AND SAY, WOULD YOU SUPPORT ME, WHEN YOU SPONSOR ME.

I'M GOING TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF RUNNING A SITUATION, I'M GOING TO WRITE A POEM A DAY.

WOULD YOU GIVE ME X NUMBER OF DOLLARS PER POEM.

>> I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THESE POEMS, FOR THE PROMISE TO WRITE EVERY DAY.

>> THE EVENT WAS HELD LAST NOVEMBER AT THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN NORTH HAMPTON.

READERS GATHERED IN PERSON WHILE OTHERS JOINED BY ZOOM TO SHARE THEIR POEMS.

CHRISTINE MAURA BELL WHO IMMIGRANTED FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER, WAS ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS WHO SHARED HER POEM.

>> I HAD A HARD TIME -- HARD TIME DECIDING WHICH POEM I WAS GOING TO READ AND READ A FEW TO ONE OF MY FRONTS HEAR MYSELF -- FRIENDS TO HEAR MYSELF.

THE TITLE IS "BELONG."

>> I AM A MERE SPECK BUT I TOO HAVE MY PLACE IN THIS UNIVERSE.

I TOO BELONG.

>> SARA SUL VAP HAS BEEN THE EVENT CHAIR FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER SHE ORGANIZED WORKSHOPS AND OFFERED ONLINE SUPPORT TO HELP INSPIRE AND MOTIVATE PARTICIPANTS TO FULFILL THEIR PLEDGE OF A POEM A DAY.

>> I HAD NEVER SEEN WHERE THE CENTER FOR NEW AMERICANS WAS.

MY FIRST TWO YEARS WRITING UNTIL I HAD TO COME DROP OFF A CHECK OR SOMETHING.

SO I WANTED THE WORKSHOP TO BE HERE IN PERSON.

AND IT WAS AMAZING.

THE GATHERING WE HAD.

THE TALENT THAT YOU HEAR WHEN YOU'RE THERE FROM -- FROM YOUNGSTERS AND OLD RELICS OR -- IT'S INCREDIBLE.

¶ ¶ ¶ [SINGING] ¶ >> A POEM ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE LEADING HER NATIVE LAND OF EL SALVADOR AND COMING TO AMERICA FOR THE FIRST TIME.

>> -- ARE CRYING AS WE GIVE EACH OTHER THE LAST HUG.

I'M HAPPY BECAUSE I THINK I'M GOING ON A FIELD TRIP, THE NEW PLACES THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN SEEM SO BEAUTIFUL.

WHEN NIGHT CAME AND I SAW WE WERE NOT GOING HOME, I BEGAN TO PANIC.

BUT I KNEW THAT AS LONG AS ME AND MY MOM WERE TOGETHER, WE WOULD BE OKAY.

WELL, I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO SHARE MY STORY AND WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH MY MIND WHEN WE MOVED HERE, BECAUSE I WAS PRETTY SO I WAS PRETTY CONFUSED ON THE WHOLE SITUATION.

>> CAN YOU SPELL WASHING?

>> REQUEST THE FUNDS RAISED -- WITH THE FUNDS RAISED, THE CENTER CAN CONTINUE WITH ITS MISSION, TO PROVIDE UNDERSERVED IMMIGRANT REFUGEES AND COMMUNITY WITH EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO LEARN ENGLISH, BECOME INVOLVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND OBTAIN TOOLS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE AND STABILITY.

>> WE'LL SEE PEOPLE WHO START SPEAKING FIVE WORDS OF ENGLISH.

AND WILL OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL YEARS WATCH THEM, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS, THEIR VERSION OF THE AMERICAN DREAM, WHATEVER THAT IS, ONE STEP AT A TIME.

>> READING.

YEAH.

¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >> AND EVEN THOUGH THE 30 POEMS IN NOVEMBER EVENT HAS PASSED, WE CAN STILL GIVE YOU A FRONT ROW SEAT TO THE READING OF CAROL FREEDMAN'S POEM, "LOOKING FOR NEW HANT.

JUST -- HUMANITY."

JUST LOG ON TO OUR WE PAGE FOR THE DIGITAL EXTRA.

AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "CONNECTING POINT."

YOU CAN FIND ALL THE STORIES YOU SAW TONIGHT AS WELL AS EXCLUSIVE FEATURES, DIGITAL-ONLY CONTENT, AND SO MUCH MORE ONLINE ANYTIME AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

AND PLEASE BE SURE TO JOIN US AGAIN EVERY THURSDAY AND SATURDAY AT 7:30 RIGHT HERE ON NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC MEDIA FOR MORE STORIES OF THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.