Stefanelli is a she/they American-born contemporary abstract artist
practicing in NYC and Easton, Pennsylvania.
(The Full Story)
The Visitor
We had a visitor in Allentown prior to the election.
Two blocks fromThe Baum School of Art in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where I teach a class about conceptual abstraction.
I know the neighborhood well.
It's not as though I would actually, TRAVEL
to a Trump rally...I was in my hometown, familiar, I even had a parking space at the school
I asked my friends to come with me. I was scared to go alone. Would I stand out? Be visible as an interloper? My blue friends said "no way", my red friends...that would involve me too much. I didn't want to participate so I went alone.
I was surprised by the open door policy at the rally.
No RSVP was necessary, although I had one via email they didn't ask to see it, once inside, there was zero security.
I was glad I was alone, because due to the lack of security, I was able to wander around a shoot. I was limited to my iphone, since I have not press pass allowing me to carry my Nikon.
While wandering around I heard the speeches of his supporters and eventually the voice of Uncle Donny himself. They were eating out of his hand.
I was brought back to the dinner table of my 1980's childhood home in New Jersey.
My entire family would sit around an oval-shaped table. My father (God rest his soul) would sit at the head.
My dad was a conservative patriarch.
What should The Presidency in 2024 look like in The United States?
Why am I reminiscing about the patriarchal dinner table of my childhood?
We tend to use the familiar as a default setting
in our decision-making.
Many Americans chose this president.
Let's hope he isn't going to banish us to our room, in tears, if we disagree with him while
he sits at. the head of the table.
