Feature image: Project 270 - 2024 Vincent Valdez
Project 270: Get Out The Vote
“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it. And so you must go out all across America and tell young people, and people not so young, tell all of us: Vote. The vote is powerful.”
During Detroit's iconic Eastern Market After Dark event on September 24th, 2024, an 8 x 10-foot banner reading ‘Black Votes Matter’ stood tall. Artist Tylonn Sawyer created the banner as part of Mana Public Art's Project 270, an initiative aimed at inspiring voters under the age of 30 through powerful works of art.
That night, roughly 10,000 eventgoers saw the incredible banner, which features a young man with an American flag draped over his shoulder, gazing at a vibrant, cheerful Friday night crowd.
With the current political buzz and the majority of Detroit’s population being Black, the banner’s message makes a powerful statement about the upcoming election.
So, how did Mana Public Arts arrive at Eastern Market After Dark in September, and what led up to this moment?
Flashback four years ago to the presidential election of 2020 amidst a global pandemic and a charged political climate. Contemporary arts organization Mana Public Arts, based in Jersey City, New Jersey, launched Project 270. Mana’s website states,
“We joined forces with 70 leading emerging and established street artists to design GOTV posters representing all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and over a dozen major metropolitan areas nationwide. Through wheat pasting, giveaways, and collaborations with grassroots voting organizations, thousands of posters were distributed and displayed in major metropolitan areas.”
Flash forward to today, with less than a month until a generation-defining presidential election, and the public art organization aims to push the needle even further by targeting swing states and engaging with young voters and marginalized communities nationwide.
The impactful posters are adopting a more topic-focused approach, specifically addressing the most common debate topics like immigration and abortion.
In an interview with ArtRKL, Director of Mana Contemporary Kele McComsey said,
“So much of this year’s debates are around these polarized topics… reproductive rights and immigration just to name a few. Since that’s really at the forefront of discussions, we might as well have the right people talking to those who are directly affected by these issues and addressing them from an artist’s perspective. And, at the very least, encouraging people to get out and vote.”
Take this poster by Hugo Crosthwaite, a Mexican-American artist and muralist. The artwork depicts a young person wearing an “I Voted” sticker, carrying what looks to be an entire city on his shoulders. The pressure is real, and Hugo so beautifully captures this in both a hopeful and compassionate way.
Another poster by artist Bony Ramirez reads “Every Issue, By the Horns.” A statement that truly speaks for itself. Ramirez, originally from Tenares, Salcedo, Dominican Republic, “uses a variety of objects which either complement the playfulness and idyllicism of his work, such as colorful beads, or contrast it by penetrating it with violence, such as real knives stabbed into the canvas.” In this poster, a bright red background and a domineering bull grab the viewer’s attention–by the horns–and refuse to let go.
And there’s more, the project continues to grow as more artists are commissioned by Mana to create posters.
Take this post by Debra Pearlman. McComsey explained to ArtRKL,
“This new poster by Debra Pearlman is a subtle but beautiful design…here a young woman stands proudly wearing a Superman shirt. The poster speaks to women who are really going to swing this election. And, I should add, these posters are meant to speak to everyone, no matter the party affiliation”
McComsey continued,
“This year more than ever, we had to fight really hard to get these posters into institutions because things are so polarized. I had a lot of people share with me that they were just not going to vote–which totally floored me. You look around the world and people die to have this right. Even if you don’t have a perfect candidate, which, by the way, nobody will ever find the perfect person. But to not vote is voting in its own way.”
So, what can you do? How can you get involved as a reader?
To start, the posters are downloadable –you can share them with your network and communities. Repost these artworks on Instagram and Facebook, or contact local art organizations about downloading and displaying the posters in your local community (and don’t forget to tag Mana!)
The time to act is now. Get out and vote!
