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Constantly Look for Better Authority
White Lies Matter Too weaves conceptual art and thought-provoking narratives that explore various aspects of the American narrative and national myths. What was the inspiration for this unique book?
White Lies Matter Too is the companion volume to my earlier book, White Lies Matter (2020). Both books were inspired by the realization that most Americans (and for that matter most people everywhere) simply either don’t know their own country’s history or believe in some fantasy promulgated by popular media based on an algorithm that gives them just what they want to hear––something that reassures them that their faith in their beliefs is what is true.
What were some goals you set for yourself as you were putting your book together?
One overarching goal was to create sixty original digital art works that provided a visual counterpart to the text for each subject. Based on the educational tool of the nineteenth century but eerily resembling the electronic notebooks of today, the art is based on the slate––a mini-chalkboard that was common in classrooms before the advent of blackboards, whiteboards, or subsequently computers.
Do you have favorite image from the book? One that especially resonates with you?
As an artist, being asked to select one out of sixty images that I have created as superior asks me to criticize the rest of my art as inferior. So, the answer is, “No.
What is one thing you hope readers are able to take away from White Lies Matter Too?
I hope that they reassess their own views, recheck all their media sources, and constantly look for better authority. If they find it, I hope they will let me know!
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In “White Lies Matter Too” O’Connor again sets up the image-and-text counterpoint template that was so deceptively and disarmingly user-friendly effective the first time around. O’Connor makes good visual-use of the image of the pre-industrial primary-grade child’s blackboard slate. This nearly life-sized object with its wooden frame has been stamped, emblazoned, outlined, and festooned with memorabilia signifiers such as gold stars; collectible vintage, retro arcana and iconography tags; historical memorabilia; photo clippings; militaria; souvenirs and travel keepsakes; flags; post-cards; buttons; cards; toys; coins; stamps; political campaign buttons; bumper sticker-type slogan labels; and any type of image that refers to the naturalistic world such as leaves. This multitude of insignias, signs, and symbols that O’Connor uses to flesh out his written narratives puts us in a “time-machine” mode that recalls the incremental forming of the American collective unconscious and its workings through time. O’Connor’s visual embellishments and their ideational contexts that we see surrounding the slate’s black void are signifiers of nostalgic sentiment, upholding some past ideal that refuses to move forward. They remind us of sentiment that imposes morality or some form of stubborn loyalty.
O’Connor’s scrupulously selected ornamental elements carry the weight of “feel-good” holders. They function as something that can be seen at first as relevant, fashionable, cute, fun, and romantic. Those accessories are also coded by the artist in such a way to infer the ominous potentiality for their dangerous misuse in the way they shape culture. On the opposite page to the child’s slate is O’Connor’s readable, engaging, exposé -like footnoted text detailing the retrofitted historical account that the artist is presenting to the world as the actual “record” of the truth.
I admire the tone of O’Connor’s art project. The artist incisively researches his unveilings of submerged histories using a combination of the literary and the visual. In lesser hands, an artwork carrying so much polyvalent information might easily have devolved into pedantry or academicism. John A. O’Connor’s “White Lies Matter Too” elicits outrage and relief. Outrage because his efforts at unraveling the historical perfidies, untruths, whitewashing deceptions, and hypocrisies we, as a nation, stand on makes us wonder: Will things ever change, really? Are we caught in an enervating, self-reinforcing perpetual loop, a national “eternal return” of bad faith? Are we as members of an extraordinary nation, once called “The Great Experiment,” capable of changing and becoming more ethical, idealistic, and truer to our “better angels”? If so: for how long?
White Lies Matter Too
In White Lies Matter Too, author John A. O’Connor presents a compelling exploration of American history, interweaving conceptual art with well-researched narratives. Each section of the book is structured around a series of plates that delve into varied aspects of American historical narratives, illuminating marginalized perspectives and critiquing entrenched national myths. Through his analysis of presidential legacies and the global ramifications of recent events, O’Connor challenges readers to reassess their grasp of historical realities.
Utilizing a combination of visual symbolism, engaging storytelling, and academic thoroughness, O’Connor crafts a narrative that scrutinizes accepted truths and advocates for a deeper, more layered understanding of history. His critical approach to sources and distrust of official narratives enhances the book’s identity as both an art piece and a scholarly work. O’Connor reflects on the transformative power of art and history, encouraging readers to question dominant narratives and adopt a more critical view of past events.
White Lies Matter Too asserts itself as a notable addition to both contemporary art and historical analysis, posing a compelling challenge to the oversimplifications prevalent in mainstream historical portrayals. O’Connor’s methodical research and analytical perspective utilize visual and narrative elements to provoke thought and broaden the reader’s historical insight. The book’s detailed citations underscore its scholarly merit, inviting readers to critically evaluate the information presented by traditional sources.
This work serves as a vital catalyst for reflection and discussion, enriching readers’ understanding of American history and prompting them to scrutinize the stories that shape their views of the world. White Lies Matter Too is indispensable for those intrigued by the convergence of culture, politics, and history.
Pages: 158 | ASIN : B0D25DK59C
LITERARY TITAN 