In the 250 years since the United States was founded, the nation has undergone changes and events its founding fathers could scarcely have imagined.
A new exhibit at Colorado State University’s Morgan Library is aiming to examine the ways in which democracy and its ideals have affected the nation’s history.
There are times when it can be hard to remember the principles of this nation and what it stands for. “We the People: Voices of Democracy,” curated by Silvia Minguzzi, opened Sept. 7 and explores how democracy has evolved over time. The exhibit will remain in the library until Jan. 10, 2027.
Director of Communications for CSU Libraries Tubyez Lucky spoke on CSU’s long-standing history of promoting civic engagement and democratic ideals, like voting and freedom of speech. Lucky said the new exhibit is a manifestation of these ideals, demonstrating the library’s values for students, community members, faculty, staff and anyone else who visits.
“We can talk about, you know, how polarizing times are,” Lucky said. “But the important thing is that everyone in a country like this has a voice.”
In addition to the artistic components of the exhibit, Minguzzi curated a dedicated wall where, with sticky notes, students can answer the question: “What does democracy mean to you?”
“We the People: Voices of Democracy” comprises of posters from CSU’s own collection as well as several others, including Colorado International Invitational Poster Exhibition and Amplifier, a nonprofit design lab. Each one touches on an aspect of democracy, contributing to the exhibit’s overall message of civic engagement.
“These are all, like, artists that donate their work,” curator Silvia Minguzzi said. “They have, like, different campaigns.”
Regardless of the differences among the works in the collection, each poster shares a common thread of what it means to live in a democracy.
One group of postcards focuses on preserving and protecting one’s future by voting. Another group of larger posters — six from an Amplifier collection — urges visitors to go vote, regardless of what it is they are voting for. Other posters were created with an intentional complexity that forces viewers to get closer to the image and immerse themselves in the exhibit to glean the full message behind the poster.
“But you know, some of these are, like, hooks as well, right?” Lucky said regarding one of the exhibit’s posters. “You look at that one from afar and it says ‘Don’t vote.’ … Maybe that gets you over, and then in small font it says exactly what it means.”
Everything the exhibition presents to visitors boils down to one thing: In a democracy, it’s essential citizens use their voices and speak up for what they believe in.
“(The exhibit) is also a call to action, saying midterms are coming up,” Lucky said. “And the true, you know, definition of democracy is use your voice and speak up, and be able to feel like your voice has value.”
Reach Emlyn Monti at entertainment@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.
