Phoenix artist Ann Morton is rallying knitters, sewers and textile crafters across America to send an important message: to choose unity over political party division in an effort known as the Violet Protest.
The Violet Protest is a collaborative art project that promotes the coming together of opposing political parties for a better America and is currently comprised of 116 stacks of fabric squares. Artists from all 50 states and even Canada contributed to this project with more than 3,400 fabric squares made by local Arizona artists, according to the project’s webpage.
The website also said that the color violet “symbolizes the literal combination of red and blue, long held as symbols of our nation’s differing ideologies.”
“Our common goal is to send a physical message of friendly protest through this colossal visual expression to demonstrate that if we as citizens are willing to come together, so then must our elected officials,” A statement on the website said.
The Violet Protest will resemble the three-dimensional letters “US” made of stacks of fabric squares. Each eight-inch by eight-inch square will be equal parts red and blue to give an overall violet appearance. The project is expected to have 26,750 fabric squares upon completion, according to the Phoenix Art Museum’s website.
The Violet Protest was launched on Jan. 15, 2020, when Morton said she felt concern over contention between political parties. She created the project to raise awareness for eight core values, which include respect, compassion, compromise and country over party.
“The decisiveness in the country is something that’s been of concern to me for many years,” said Morton in a phone interview. “I wanted to reach out and see if other people felt like I did, and, it turns out, there’s lots of people who feel like I do.”
The need for unity weighed heavily on Morton’s mind even before the historic and unprecedented events of 2020. Having a history with public art projects, she used a collaborative format for the Violet Protest after learning that many Americans shared her political concerns.
Initially, Morton reached out to several sewing and knitting clubs to spread word of her project’s cooperative nature. She said the project quickly grew through word of mouth, email and college textile groups.
“Even as the person who is organizing this, I had no idea of the impact it has tactically, visually and just metaphorically,” Morton said.
The Violet Protest will be on display at the Phoenix Art Museum from March 10 to Sept 5. Morton developed this project for the Phoenix Art Museum after winning the 2019 Scult Award associated with the museum. Morton said she was nervous when she initially pitched the idea to the Phoenix Art Museum because the piece made a strong political statement; however, the museum easily approved the idea.
“We hope that the project will engage our audiences to consider how art and creativity are fundamental to a critical dialogue which is important for a healthy and intellectually-engaged society,” Gilbert Vicario, the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs and the Selig Family Chief Curator of Phoenix Art Museum, said.
After its run at the Phoenix Art Museum, the Violet Protest will be disassembled and sent to members of Congress. More than 25 squares will be sent to each Congressperson along with a letter urging government officials to unite over party lines. Each square will bear its maker’s name and state.
The Violet Protest is still accepting fabric submissions. Squares must be received by the artist by Feb. 1. Anyone from the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico is invited to participate and sign up via the project’s website.
Contact the reporter at smblue@asu.edu.
