Power to the People
Power to the People & other documentaries

Power to the People

Power to the People, post election 2020 Philadelphia, by Tania Sen

A Conscientious and Inclusive Society in the Making

In India, where I grew up, norm and status quo in every aspect of life, economic, political, and social was stringent. This made the experience of the common people a compromised state of acceptance of inadequate and wrongful conditions. Therefore the series of uprisings leading up to the 2020 elections were deeply restorative of universal balance. The events that lead to the overturn of power was a call to a more conscientious and inclusive society.  Even though the free wheeling spirit of Americana took a series of jolts over the past few years due to a lopsided economy, the people fearlessly voiced what they stood for and what the country signified.

What’s in a Name?!

Naming the video was a challenge. The portrait in the conventional sense entails the depiction of a character. A relatable persona, addressing a certain perception or predisposition.  This video depicts the collective consciousness of people. People aspiring for much the same thing, a better living in a compassionate environment. How I arrived at “Power to the People” deserves mention.  After rejecting “Promised Land” for focusing on the country rather than its people, I tried “Face of America”. The latter screamed geographical boundaries as opposed to the human element of it.  “Power to the People”, courtesy John Lennon, put a single face to the masses standing up for their rights.

taniasen

Tania Sen is a contemporary artist of Indian origin who lives and works in Philadelphia. Using mythology, politics, pop culture, ads, signage, Tania explores the process of transformation of human perception in an age of digital reproduction. Combined with Ai, it is a reality bending journey!