License to Speak

Evie Reese

In my first performance piece, License to Speak (2023), a woman is standing by herself on a soapbox in downtown San Diego with her fist raised and her mouth taped shut. Inspired by the performance artwork of Tania Bruguera, this scene brings attention to the subject of free speech and how not all voices are heard equally.

In the work, I am seen standing on a wooden crate as my soapbox on the corner of 5th Avenue and E Street in the site specific location where the San Diego Free Speech Fight occurred in 1912. I am holding my fist raised in solidarity to those that stood up for our rights to free speech locally and to those that continue to do so today. My mouth is taped shut to signify the voices that go unheard and I am wearing a red bandana on my head to make the connection to the labor movement and the historical significance of the Rosie the Riveter icon where women were able to push barriers past living a

life of domesticity during the WWII era.

Through this work, I aim to bring awareness to local history as well as highlighting the importance participating in protecting our basic civil rights: to speak in public, to assemble, to protest. In the gallery, the soapbox seeks to become a catalyst for further conversation.

About the Artist

My artistic approach to art places emphasis on lived experiences and personal journeys. Inspired by the centrality of forging social bonds within the experience of being human, I aim to explore new ways of fostering dialogue around issues of social justice and women’s rights. I use mixed media as a way to allow myself the freedom to explore and research various avenues to create my work – this has included working in sculpture, installation, and data visualization.

My practice is forever changing and evolving by constantly searching for ways of pushing through boundaries and barriers. My goal is to continue to make art that means something and that resonates. I want to echo the voices from the past, present, and future to acknowledge the conscience of the individual, as well as humanity as a whole.

Additional Documentation [Forthcoming]