ALEKSANDRA STONE: STIMULATE THE AMERICAN HOUSEHOLD

Monica King Contemporary, 32 Lispenard Street, New York, NY

July 14 - August 27, 2020

Aleksandra Stone: Stimulate the American Household features 19 works consisting of shredded US currency, meticulously sorted and arranged by the artist into provocative statements on the current economic realities of COVID-19. The works have been “framed” in vintage window screens reminiscent of the artist’s first impressions of American life when her refuge family arrived in Kentucky (from Yugoslavia) when she was 10 years old. 

Stimulate the American Household is a powerful exploration of the federal government’s initiative to support the financial health of the American household following economic dislocation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, it is a reflection on the attempt to delay the effect of the pandemic recession on the finances of the typical American household through a one-time tax rebate and enhanced unemployment benefits. It considers the dichotomy between programs that exist to assist households that own their own home, including mortgage forbearance, versus a lack of assistance for those Americans who are renting.

Image: Aleksandra Stone, Eccles Federal Reserve Building, 2020, shredded US currency on paper mounted on a 21 x 15 x 3.4 inch window screen

Installation photography by Monica King