$PEAK OUT, a public art engagement project, collects voices of diverse histories, languages, experiences, perspectives, and presents them in a powerful unified message to end violence and injustice. It is a participatory endeavor in which individual handwritten messages* are laser cut onto real currencies and displayed collectively to instigate dialogue and community action against oppression.
*PROMPT: Think about your message in regards to ending violence and injustice or promoting peace and equity. Your message might be expressed as a statement, a chant, a personal story, a drawing, a secret, a poem, a wish, a scream, a demand, a truth…
our influences and context
We (Diane Jacobs (www.dianejacobs.net) Janet Cowal (Dept. of Applied Linguistics, PSU) share passions in combining art, language, and community empowerment. Three of Diane’s major influences include Mona Hatoum, Ann Hamilton, and David Hammons. Each artist weaves powerful social commentary while exploring unique materials embedded with metaphor. In 2014, inspired by the One Billion Rising movement, Diane collected / laser cut messages for $PEAK OUT to end violence against women/girls around the world. Janet’s influences include critical applied linguistics, particularly co-construction of identity (Norton, Toohey, Coulthard, Bahktin), how narratives create reality (Lakoff, R.), and how combining art and language communicates beyond either in isolation (e.g., Gene Yang’s graphic novel, American Born Chinese).
Increased climates of hate towards marginalized groups such as People of Color and LGBTQ communities created an urgency for us to join forces and widen the focus of $PEAK OUT beyond women/girls. In Portland, OR, non-dominant languages / communities are often not visible with dominant cultures unaware of embedded racism in their city; this presents challenges / opportunities for significant change / education.
Activist Applied Linguistics 