Trends and Entertainment

Liberty is Burning

No matter how many homes go into foreclosure, the sun still shines in St. Petersburg, Florida, where most of 18-year-old Cameron Cottrill’s peers don’t have a clue about what’s going on with the Recession. “But they do have Obama Mania,” he admits. A few, though, are seriously concerned. “Some have lost jobs,” says Cameron, “and so have their parents.” These young people worry because “they don’t see any real ‘change’ coming any time soon.” Like Cameron, they are trying to learn about current events, hoping to understand what they need to do for the future. And nobody really seems to have the answers.

“As for me,” says Cameron, “doing my artwork, writing, and discussing situations with my friends are some of the only things that keep me sane. I plan to graduate high school this year. Hopefully by doing that I will be able to surround myself with artistic people that are concerned with what goes on in the real world.”

Cameron created his piece while trying to process all the hype about the stimulus package. As time went on, the meaning of the image evolved for him to represent “the burning of our own liberty with frivolous spending by the hands of the government and the acceptance of it by the American people.” He explains that the Statue of Liberty represents old American values and the ample opportunities that were once available in this country. “In this new era,” says Cameron, “these opportunities and values have been fading, and along with them, our freedom is diminishing. Lady Liberty herself would protest what the new age of America has made her represent; a disregard for pure liberty.”

Pretty intense stuff for a teenager. But some argue that the Recession is encouraging the emergence of a more thoughtful –and thrifty—generation. Abercrombie and Fitch has seen sales declining, and in general, reduced spending by teens has caused what some call a “discretionary recession.” As jobs for teens are drying up, being frugal is becoming part of life. There’s just no more money to burn.

Cameron’s piece will be on display this spring at One Brooklyn Bridge Park as part of a month-long exhibition called “Spctclr vws.” The show opens May 15th at 7pm and will run until June 7. It will be open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 6 pm.

Tags: art, liberty, teenager