About Another Country

Can we speak for another? Are we allowed to talk about something we have not experienced for ourselves? If so, how do artists speak across social divides?

"Another Country" was informed by another project I organized last year called "The Diversity Project". The project's intention was to invite artists to redefine diversity through their work. I found afterwards that several artists expressed regret of not being "diverse enough" to participate. What constitutes being "diverse enough"? That one has to non-white? That one has to have experienced something "bad" based on their appearance? I believe that artists have enough heart and imagination to consider the limitations of personal identity and broaden their perspective in order to speak about another's experience. "Another Country" invites artists to deconstruct the sequestering idea of "diversity" in identity politics - to remove the invisible boundaries that prevent one from connecting with another.

The title of this project is an homage to James Baldwin's novel of the same name, which had a tremendous influence on this project.

- Laura Swanson, November 2007

About Equal Access

Equal Access was founded in 2006 by Laura Swanson to converge the many student and faculty diversity intiatives at the San Francisco Art Institute. In addition to the collective, Equal Access creates unique exhibition opportunities for the SFAI community like "The Diversity Project," an online gallery and podcast in which artists defined diversity within their works. "Future Flavors," an Adam Mansbach event, was also supported and sponsored by Equal Access. Our latest venture, "Another Country," is a three part project that includes a sample of works shown in an exhibition with the Visuality and Alterity Working Group, a website, and a publication (due in early 2008).

Mission Statement

Equal Access is a collective of SFAI students and faculty interested in creative pursuits of social justice.

Members and Supporters

Laura Swanson, David Elliott, Benjamin Miller-Rios, Dean Dempsey, Allan deSouza, Paul Klein, Tammy Ko Robinson, Adam Mansbach, Mark Van Proyen, Robin Balliger, Carolyn Duffey, Stacy Garfinkel, Stephanie Ellis, J. John Priola, Visuality and Alterity Working Group

Sponsors

The Office of Student Affairs and President's Office at the San Francisco Art Institute.