(the artist team of Artur Silva and Judith G. Levy)
Judith G. Levy, b. 1947, Lives and works in Indianapolis, Indiana
Artur Silva, b. 1976, Lives and works in Indianapolis, Indiana

Inspired by American author Walter Lippman’s early-20th-century writings about democracy, liberty, and public opinion, the artist duo Silvey created a video compilation of parade footage. For the On Procession parade on April 26th, 2008, they wore these videos on portable monitors with matching military uniforms. In the video for Everybody Loves a Parade, Silvey blends footage culled from a variety of films ranging from a 1945 film depicting the French general Charles de Gaulle processing along the Champs d’Elysées to last year’s Indianapolis Veteran’s Day Parade. This found footage is jammed together in opposition to straight documentary formats. The resulting montage demonstrates that parades may celebrate nationalism and ideology while omitting the destructive underlying realities of war and history.

Image Credit:
Everyone Loves A Parade, 2008
military camouflage outfits, caps, boots, video, portable DVD players, speakers, fabric carriers, plastic soldiers