MALA, not MAGA: New York Artist Launches 'Make America Love Again' Campaign to Promote Unity Over Division

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, October 10, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In a call to choose love over hate, Seth Indigo Carnes, a conceptual artist based in New York City, has launched a viral media campaign titled MALA ("Make America Love Again”), with animations and memes aiming to shift the political conversation from division to unity.

The MALA campaign takes a playful yet powerful jab at the well-known "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) slogan, urging voters to choose MALA over MAGA. in the vein that graphic designer and activist Shepard Fairey created HOPE, his visionary portrait of Barack Obama in 2008 as a form of grassroots activism to support Obama’s first presidential campaign.

The inspiration for MALA emerged during a conversation between Seth and his partner, Morena Escardó, a meditation teacher and spiritual guide. As they discussed Kamala Harris stepping into the spotlight, they noticed her name contained "MALA," a play on the familiar MAGA acronym with just a single letter difference. That simple wordplay became the foundation of a campaign that would use art to counter divisiveness.

"Sometimes a decision comes down to choosing love instead of hate," Carnes said. "In this election, it’s that simple: choose love."

Seth quickly got to work using Kamala Harris for President's campaign's typography and colors. "The idea was to create an iconic design that symbolized unity and love, standing in opposition to the divisive tone associated with MAGA," Carnes explained.

The resulting artwork became the basis for a curated set of products to fundraise, now available on Etsy, with 100 percent of the proceeds supporting the MALA campaign.

Gary Breslin, a long-time friend of Seth’s and Executive Creative Director of ODD (Office of Development & Design), soon noted the potential for the MALA design to go viral, likening it to the iconic Shepard Fairey HOPE posters that defined Barack Obama’s campaign. He and his team at ODD offered to help bring the design to life, dedicating resources to create animations to amplify MALA’s message.

Within a week, ODD completed the first set of animations based on Seth’s storyboards, setting the stage to start the media campaign. Guitarist, composer, and friend Gyan Riley soon agreed to compose music for the first set of MALA animations. "Gary and Gyan's enthusiasm was the catalyst we needed," Carnes said. “Their pro bono contributions for the sake of art, love, and preserving democracy are an inspiration.”

With a set of eight musically scored animations, the MALA campaign is gearing up for a viral media blitz throughout October, until election day, with a focus on reaching as many viewers as possible. The team is actively seeking support to help purchase airtime and broaden the campaign’s impact in battleground states with undecided voters.

"What do you prefer, MALA or MAGA? Love or Hate? Hope or Fear? Forward or Backward? Unity or Division? Those are the two choices on the ballot," Carnes said.

Carnes and Escardo believe that art has the power to transform political discourse and inspire a movement grounded in compassion and acceptance. "A leader who’s able to love can accept differences, build us up together, and doesn’t need to make others feel small," Escardo noted, "It’s time to let love rule."

The MALA project invites supporters to join the movement by visiting the MALA web page, downloading the campaign's free videos and animated gifs, then share them far and wide on social media and messaging apps. Supporters can also follow the project on Instagram to connect and help spread the message, or purchase MALA art products to towards funding the campaign.

"Love makes room for everyone," Carnes concludes. "It’s time to make America love again."

For more information about the MALA campaign, please visit sic.studio/project/mala. To view the MALA kiosk on Etsy, visit soulincode.etsy.com. To see the project on Instagram, visit @malaforprez

ABOUT SETH INDIGO CARNES
Seth Indigo Carnes is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans conceptual art, social practice, poetry, and semiotics. He is also the creator of the Poetics app, available on Apple's App Store, used by artists and educational institutions worldwide. Carnes is a member of the TXT art collective and has a history of political art activism, collaborating with artists like Shepard Fairey and Paul Miller (DJ Spooky). His artwork has been showcased at institutions like P.S. 1 MoMA, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, and at global events such as South by Southwest (SXSW). Carnes holds a BA in History with a focus on Media & Technology from Pomona College, and an MS in Integrated Media from NYU-Polytechnic University. His partner Morena Escardó is a meditation teacher, spiritual guide, holistic consultant, and author. Based in New York City, she has been an integral part of the MALA project, working closely with Seth to bring the vision of love and unity into the mainstream conversation. For more information about Seth Indigo Carnes, visit sic.studio. To learn more about Morena Escardó, visit morenaescardo.com

ABOUT THE OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN (ODD)
ODD is an award-winning design studio led by Gary Breslin, known for its innovative approach to creative development, collaboration, and execution. With offices in New York and Los Angeles, ODD has worked with various artists and brands to bring impactful projects to life. To explore ODD’s design projects, visit odd.tv

ABOUT GYAN RILEY
Gyan is a guitarist and composer who has written music for the Kronos Quartet, New Music USA, the Carnegie Hall Corporation, the American Composers Forum, the New York Guitar Festival and documentary filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. He has performed with Zakir Hussain, Lou Reed, John Zorn, Bill Frisell, the Kronos Quartet, Lee Ranaldo (of Sonic Youth), Devendra Banhart, Julian Lage, Nico Muhly, Glenn Kotche, the San Francisco Symphony, and his father, the renowned composer Terry Riley. To learn more about Gyan Riley, visit gyanriley.com

John Arundel
Perdicus PR & Media Strategies
+1 703-963-4191
[email protected]

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