Pop Rage

An Ever–Shifting Public Artwork by Samantha Cortez

Silence can be deafening, yet a smile can make a lot of noise.

Over the course of the three months that this piece was on display, my goal was to make the viewer smile. In return, we both get rewarded every time they took a new glimpse of this piece. I promise, it wasn’t the same as they remembered.

Analyze what shifts, take what resonates with you, and leave whatever doesn't.

Think about all of the silent mouths and the raging minds. Breaking a smile out of a mouth that is closed creates volume and a revolving door of inspiration.

Behind the silence, it won't matter who you know… but who knows you?

Throughout the course of the three months that this artwork was on view to the public, it continued to evolve and change. Put yourself in its spaces. Take up room within its curves and folds and you will never be lost.

I use my own lived experiences to inspire my peers in the communities I serve, so that people like us can break down any door we want to get through. In this ever-shifting piece of public art, I encourage the viewer to look past what you expect of an artwork and to always seek new knowledge about what you’re being told.

The greater the risk the greater the reward.

Samantha Cortez

Artistic Noise’s 2024 Alumni Artist in Residence