Artifice of Power (AoP) represents the physical expression of power through architecture, anthems, and gestures. The work is about how daunting powerful systems can appear by design, but people and community are capable of changing any abuses of power for a more just and equitable future.

The front is pure spectacle: a towering sculpture made of stacked architectural elements—spires, rotundas, and domes—that evoke the abuse of authority, permanence, and dominance. Every hour, a different anthem plays, accompanied by a pre-programmed light show.However, from the side, the illusion weakens, and at the rear, the artifice is fully revealed: exposed set pieces, plywood, clamps, sandbags, and tangled wires—all showing that the display of power is merely stagecraft and permeable by people. 

Beyond the sculpture lies an open circular seating area for public gathering and reflection on how we engage with both physical and internalized forms of power. Two distinct decks of cards contain quotes on power, status, hierarchy, and human supremacy. These quotes were not selected to inspire or declare truth, but to shed light on the mechanisms through which power operates in the world and within ourselves. Visitors are encouraged to engage with the quotes, selecting those that resonate and using them as a starting point for conversation, contemplation, or respectful debate.

This project uses humor and spectacle to invite visitors into a critical exploration of power’s porous, performative, and structural nature.

With special thanks to: Space Program SF: Jacob Pritzker and Jud Bergeron, with support from Isaac Pritzker, Emily Lakin, and Ben Venom. Minnesota Street Project: Michael Rubel, Julie Casemore, Aimee Le Duc. Special thanks to: Nelson Chan, Sophia Cordova, Andy Kahn, Eric Neville, Lisa Rock, and Steve Shada.