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# Political Performance in the US House
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/political-performance-us-house/
- Published: 2011-04-15T15:21:01.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T15:48:55.000Z
- Description: American politics has always been deeply connected to spectacle. Yesterday, Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY) delivered a one-minute "speech" on the floor of the House of US Reps and it was pure art.
- Author: Hrag Vartanian
- Tags: Opinion, #image-position-hidden, Performance Art, Politics, US politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2025-11-17 09:23 (2009-2011)

[American](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American%5Felection%5Fcampaigns%5Fin%5Fthe%5F19th%5Fcentury?ref=hyperallergic.com) [politics](http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2010/09/democracy-as-spectacle-the-messianic-compulsions-of-our-republic/?ref=hyperallergic.com) [has](http://logosonline.home.igc.org/kellner%5Fmedia.htm?ref=hyperallergic.com) [always](http://www.jstor.org/pss/2928420?ref=hyperallergic.com) [been](http://www.jstor.org/pss/25069669?ref=hyperallergic.com) [deeply](http://gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/kellner/essays/mediaspectalelectoralcrisis.pdf?ref=hyperallergic.com) [connected](http://www.us.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Politics/AmericanPolitics/HistoryPolitics/?view=usa&ci=9780823231003&ref=hyperallergic.com) [to](http://quotes.dictionary.com/the%5Fspectacle%5Fof%5Famerican%5Fpolitics%5Fresembles%5Fthat%5Fof?ref=hyperallergic.com) [spectacle](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/29/us/politics/29scene.html?ref=hyperallergic.com), if you’re not sure why then maybe check out [Guy Debord](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%5FSociety%5Fof%5Fthe%5FSpectacle?ref=hyperallergic.com) for some insight.

Yesterday, [Rep. Joe Crowley](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph%5FCrowley?ref=hyperallergic.com) (D-NY) delivered a one-minute “speech” on the floor of the House of US Representatives and it was [part-Bob Dylan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BulpSgZjJA&ref=hyperallergic.com), part-performance art (I think the silence gives it that feel). It’s pretty effective.

And at least those on the Left of the aisle are trying to understand art, incorporate its ability to communicate effectively, and (mostly) understand it’s not possible to paint the whole field with the same broad ideological brush. The Right has long ago decided to reject the art world. One of the latest examples of Right wing zaniness is by SNL comedian-turned-wingnut columnist Victoria Jackson, who is recycling the age-old canard that **all art critics are communists** and the NEA is promoting Obama’s agenda. I hate linking to WorldNetDaily, but [here](http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=287093&ref=hyperallergic.com) you are.

*Hat tip Mira Schor’s* [*Facebook profile*](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1276560139)