Matthew Brandt, American
NGC 3372C (Night Skies), 2016
Matthew Brandt’s NGC 3372C, from his Night Skies series, presents a white form made from cocaine against a dark, night-like background. He aims to describe the Flint water crisis: it is an issue of toxins which have been woven so deeply into daily life. Cocaine is extremely hazardous for the human body– possession and use are criminal offenses. In contrast, lead paint, which can also jeopardize human health, is more so overlooked by governmental powers especially in places with inadequate resources to assist themselves. People in Flint, Michigan, have to take it upon themselves to avoid using their tap water to try and save themselves. Brandt’s comparison of the lead crisis to cocaine poses the question of how we perceive danger at the individual and political level. Label by Grace Cohen