GODS BLESS AMERICA!

Copied Alejandro Diaz, GODS BLESS AMERICA!, 2013, neon lighting, 9 × 120 1⁄8 × 3 1⁄4 in. (22.9 × 305.1 × 8.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Guillermo Nicolas and James Foster, 2016.3

Artwork Details

Title
GODS BLESS AMERICA!
Artist
Date
2013
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
9 × 120 1⁄8 × 3 1⁄4 in. (22.9 × 305.1 × 8.3 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Guillermo Nicolas and James Foster
Mediums Description
neon lighting
Classifications
Keywords
  • Abstract
Object Number
2016.3
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/2016.3

Artwork Description

The phrase "God bless America" has permeated American public discourse since at least 1938, when Irving Berlin released a song by that title that was instantly hailed as a new national anthem. It has since become ubiquitous in political speeches and at sporting events, and has frequently been invoked at times of national crisis. A conceptual artist who often works with text, Alejandro Diaz presents the phrase as a neon sign, making a subtle alteration that, once detected, prompts reconsideration of the potential meaning of the words. The added, flickering "S" is a reminder, the artist says, "of the many religions practiced in the United States," and beckons the viewer with the promise of equity and religious freedom.