Gift of the Art Collection Advisory Committee (Malú Alvarez ’02, Charlotte Artus, Jane Avinger, Susan Baik, Ralph E. Blakely, Jr. ’67, Kat Belk ’46, Lisa Chidsey ’83, Kitty Garner ’85, Amy Clemmons King ’97, Jamie Knowles ’10, Nan Loftin, Joe Logan ’77, Fred Lopp ’63, Frank K. Lord ’89, John MacMahon ’95, Susan N. McAlister ’85, Dan McLawhorn ’70, Katie B. Morris, Marian Nisbet, Elena Paul ’85, Susan Ross, Lauren Sanford ’03, Ginny Newell ’78, and Lyn Bolen Warren ’83), President Carol E. Quillen and George McLendon, Jeff Prince, Lia Newman, and Sherry Nelson.
When Tavares Strachan first created his large-scale public art installation in Telluride, Colorado, and smaller related neons such as We Are In This Together (multi), 2018, a new acquisition for Davidson College, he could not have foreseen the COVID-19 pandemic or the nationwide protests that have since swept the nation. But, the Bahamian-born artist was considering the prevalent inequities he witnessed around the globe, which have contributed to COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on poorer communities.
Neon light is typically associated with advertising and commerce. Strachan's use of the medium to spell out a phrase that has become synonymous with the COVID-19 pandemic and protests against racial injustice highlights the superficiality and insensitivity of corporate jargon and consumerism.
Strachan notes that the work "is an invitation to the viewer to ask themselves whether the statement strikes them as true.” He sees the artwork “as a reminder of the limits and possibility of community … Are we in this together?" Through his work, Strachan aims to spark conversation and introspection around diverse social issues, including the lack of affordable housing, widespread food insecurity, and disagreements over borders and immigration policies.
While who exactly the “we” is in Strachan’s work remains ambiguous, we hope that here at Davidson College our community finds the phrase – and this artwork – to be a source of strength and inspiration. We hope seeing this phrase will serve as a powerful reminder of the difference we can make as part of a larger global community. We must strive to be in this together – to find unity in our community, to find joy in beauty and creativity, to engage in difficult discussions, and to work together to find unique solutions to the most pressing problems that divide us.
Click here to listen to Strachan discuss the meaning of the phrase "we are in this together."
Bibliography
Bastien, Maceo. "TAVARES STRACHAN | WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER." Flaunt, 29 April 2020.
Buck, Louisa. "Tavares Strachan: 'I grew up not feeling empowered by art'." The Art Newspaper, 8 Sept. 2020.
Chan, TF. "Tavares Strachan’s call for unity is written in neon." Wallpaper, 29 May 2020.
EXPO CHICAGO. "Franklin Sirmans In Conversation with Tavares Strachan." YouTube, 4 Nov. 2014.
Lescaze, Zoë. "The Artist Whose Medium Is Science." New York Times Style Magazine, 16 Sept. 2020.
Light, Bria. "‘We are in this together’ A large-scale sculpture by artist Tavares Strachan may be unveiled as soon as September." Telluride Daily Planet, 2 Jul. 2020.
The Art Newspaper. "It's lit: Tavares Strachan delivers a mountain message of social activism amid social distancing." The Art Newspaper, 6 May 2020.
Weintraub, Linda. “Tavares Strachan: Prepping for Global Warming.” To Life, 1st ed., University of California Press, 2012, p. 283–, doi:10.1525/j.ctv1xxwhw.50.
Blog Post: SEEN ON CAMPUS: Recent Acquisition, Tavares Strachan by Sarah Zhang ‘23
