Nancy Baker Cahill is a Los Angeles based new media artist, whose work frequently draws upon feminism, climate change, political systems, and various other important issues. She has gained recognition for her use of augmented reality, bringing art into public spaces and allowing viewers to interact with her work through mobile devices and real world environments. By using this technology she challenges traditional notions of where and how art can exist, which aligns perfectly with the concepts of her work. What makes Cahill’s work so compelling is her drive to create socially engaged art, emphasizing the need for action and encouraging a unified support structure. Drawing from ongoing catastrophic climate news, Cahill created The Mushroom cloud, which depicts a mushroom shaped cloud over the ocean, to highlight both the destruction of ecosystems and to prompt human responsibility. The project as a whole sheds light on human disrespect against nature and how we are unprepared for its impact. A significant element of The Mushroom Cloud is the depiction of the mushroom itself as it represents Cahill’s idea of growing a supportive network based on self repairs, powerfully and slowly, like mycelium (the mushroom). With this piece, Cahill decided to further support the action oriented and collaborative efforts of the project and donate a percentage of the proceeds to systems of mutual aid and climate justice. Art like The Mushroom Cloud demonstrates how Nancy Baker Cahill is not only a visionary artist but also a passionate activist and advocate. Throughout her career she consistently blends her art and advocacy, using her art as the vehicle for social change.
State Property is another extremely powerful and provocative work that blends the political and personal, displaying a bold critique of reproductive rights and state control. The piece features digital neon sculpture of a uterus, fractured into pieces while hovering over the US Supreme court and other choice statehouses. State Property was created by Cahill during the time of the public debate surrounding the rise of the #Metoo movement, yet is still tremendously relevant today with the ongoing political unrest surrounding the 2024 presidential election. By placing this image above such powerful institutions, it sheds light onto the very institutions that have the power to shape and enforce policies governing reproductive rights, yet continue to fail women and control their personal, bodily decisions. The project channels the complete demise of womens bodys in America, and the decision to handle their own reproductive matters. Cahill portrayed this work through augmented reality, allowing viewers to see the fractured uterus in the context of the real world as though it were physically suspended above the buildings. The use of AR and the physical environment around us reinforced the idea that the fight for women and reproductive rights is not abstract, rather it is quite literally a real issue that continues to occur. Both State Property and The Mushroom Cloud, as well as the
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