The Highest Form of Wisdom is Kindness | For Freedoms
Carrie Mae.
Text: Max Wiener
Billboards are some of the most genius marketing strategies that have ever been created. You can’t help but look at them, whether you’re walking, driving, or, truly, just standing still. But what if they’re used for something other than movies or underwear? What if the brilliance of grandiosity is distilled down to its truest form and used for greater good? A new artist’s coalition, called “For Freedoms,” is aimed at doing exactly that. With can’t-miss design and simple wordage, these billboards are tackling and addressing some of America’s most confrontational issues, from racism to Native Americans.
“The Highest Form of Wisdom is Kindness” is a smaller component of “For Freedoms” aimed at tackling one of America’s most troubling issues: antisemitism. It occupies the news cycles and the minds of millions, and unfortunately there are no signs of digression in the nation’s psyche. In an attempt to show solidarity, several artists dove deep into their creative brains to display their support of their Jewish brethren. What was produced was one of the most important artistic endeavors in the country.
Joel Mesler, Untitled (Meshuggeneh), 2023.
Untitled (Meshuggeneh) is Joel Mesler’s contribution to the campaign, done in campy and kaleidoscopic fashion. The focal point - the word itself, that is - is all done up in gold and is impossible to ignore; it even adds a little humor. “Meshuggeneh,” for the non-Jews, is something your grandfather would call you after you dropped the gefilte fish on the kitchen floor during Passover (or other times when you’re acting foolish). Such a colloquialism can be overlooked as powerful, but the word itself is Yiddish, and the language and the people still speaking it are dying. And, more importantly, there are too many Americans that wish that these people were gone. A billboard like this keeps the faith and the culture alive and prohibits you from ignoring the intricacies of the Jewish faith, far past the synagogue.
Eric Gottesman, Never Again, 2023.
The words “Never Again,” are most closely associated with the atrocities of The Holocaust, but when placed over the backdrop of the American flag, they take on an entirely different meaning. In America, the “Land of the Free,” Jews are being killed simply because of their faith; many of these atrocities are the result of baseless stereotypes dating back centuries. How can it be the land of the free if there is such vicious oppression? “Never Again” placed over an American flag is beginning to become a bit of a myth. Donald Trump swung this country so far right that some aspects felt like World War II-era Germany. How can we say “Never Again,” if it almost happened?
Wyatt Gallery.
On the Jewish holidays this year, whether celebrating or not, let’s all take a moment to appreciate that we live in a country where cultural differences can be celebrated and enrich our lives. Instead of forming our opinions based on what you hear, go and meet someone. Learn about them and their culture. Perhaps then we can truly say “Never Again.”
