Essay #3

This mixed-media figure is one of the components that make up artist Josh Kline’s installation called Freedom. There are four of these life-sized “Police Teletubby” sculptures with antennas popping out of their helmets and attached LCD screens in their bellies, which show individuals expressing their political views. I chose this work because it portrays the effects of militarization. Transforming teletubbies into cops speaks on how easily the public’s perception of police offers can change depending on their appearance. When they are in regular police uniform and simply patrolling, they are perceived as people that serve their community. On the other hand, when they are armed with tear gas and shields, they are then understood to be the community’s enemy and an entity to rebel against. I also chose this work because of how it depicts the effects of social media on political movements today. The people shown in the LCD screens are saying things that other individuals on social media platforms have said about certain political events. By doing this, I think Kline has underscored the large role that social media has played in connecting like-minded activists and spreading word of protests.

Kline utilized face-substitution software to mask the individuals on the LCD screen who are actually retired police officers. Instead of simply taking a video of these folks, he went a step further and masked their faces through a new-age software.

One aspect of this form that is similar to traditional forms of art is the realism of the figures. The attire that the teletubbies are dressed in is very precise – from the holstered pistol to the creases on the glove from the teletubbies’ clenched fists.