Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Obama Trading Cards












I can't decide whether I think these are worrisome or awesome.
All this reading I've been doing lately about images... how we are encouraged to live in a world of shadows, consuming; acting in a commercial/image realm and equating that with having an actual affect on 'real' life...
And then there is Ranciere's notion of the 'distribuition of the sensible' which proposes that by changing our images we are indeed changing the world: A change in what is visible catalyzes a change in what is imaginable and acceptable, this allows for new social configurations and dynamics.

What does it mean to commemorate (co-memorate—as in: creating memories together) history commercially? Topps has marketed other historic series' such as President Kennedy cards and 'Man on the Moon' cards in the 1960's. 
In this way one can 'own' a part of history. But don't we already own a part of this history? Don't we own it because we participated in it? Does owning it as an image, as something outside of ourselves, eclipse our sense of personal involvement in it from experience?
 
Whatever Obama trading cards mean, I have to admit, I like 'em and I kinda want some...

get your own at Topps

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