A New Book Chronicling the Artist-Designed Billboard Project For Freedoms Poses a Critical Question

a billboard with a photo of a diverse group of individuals from different walks of life reading, "LET LOVE QUIET FEAR"

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Where do we go from here? At a point in history that feels so turbulent and unpredictable, this unresolved question sits at the forefront of many minds. For Freedoms, an artist-led organization channeling its efforts toward creative civic engagement and direct action, is set to release its first-ever monograph, fittingly named after the query.

For Freedoms: Where Do We Go From Here? is a comprehensive 340-page collection of more than 550 artist-designed billboards from the last seven years. You might notice some familiar names involved in the project, such as Hank Willis Thomas, JR, and Nari Ward. Whether it be a pair of eyes staring straight forward, an impactful question directed toward the viewer, or the simplicity of the word “human being” in Arabic, each design leaves its audience to reflect on the issue at hand.

a light purple billboard depicting a clouded reflection with wiped away sections revealing a photograph of protestors and text reading, "if not now, when?" — Marilyn Minter, “If Not Now When?” (2020). Boring, Oregon. Photo by Lincoln Barbour

Popping up in different corners of the United States from rural areas to urban centers, the works tackle a multitude of societal challenges and humanitarian crises that require urgency and advocacy.

In contrast to a billboard’s usual profit-driven, commercial function, the large-scale structures instead become poignant messages in line with For Freedoms’ overall mission. By spotlighting short but compelling phrases, powerful imagery, and clever placement, the public installations act as a force for widespread movement.

For Freedoms: Where Do We Go From Here? is slated for release on October 15, just before the 2024 election. Pre-order yours on Bookshop, and learn more on the organization’s website.

a black billboard wign with white text reading, "words shape reality" — Christine Sun Kim, “Words Shape Reality” (2018). Jefferson City, Missouri. Photo by Notley Hawkins

a billboard sign outside of a pawn shop for guns reads, "mass action. vote." — Nari Ward, “Mass Action” (2016). Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Wyatt GalleryS

almost blending into the landscape surrounding it, a billboard shows a large tree and text that reads, "DREAM" in orange text — Ross McDonnell, “DREAM” (2023). Los Angeles, California. Photo by Taisuke Yamada

in black, red, and green, a billboard reads, "who taught you to love?" — Hank Willis Thomas, “Who Taught You To Love?” (2020). Des Moines, Iowa. Photo by Jeff Scroggins

a billboard with side by side photos of a Black man before and during his incarceration. The yellow text reads, "I've been here all my life." — Robinson and the Visiting Room Project, “I’ve Been Here All My Life” (2022). Detroit, Michigan. Photo by Jason Keen

a two-sided billboard folding over the corner of a building that reads, "Less Discrimination, More Understanding" in stereotypical "Chop Suey" Font — Christine Wong Yap, “Hopes for Chinatown (YY)” (2021). Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Connie Huang and Jonathan Fan

a billboard with text that reads, "NEVER AGAIN IS NOW" against a photograph of two children walking in a Japanese internment camp — Emily Hanako Momohara, “Family Incarceration: Never Again is Now” (2018). Nampa, Idaho. Photo by Chad Jackson

a black billboard with white text reading, "human being" in Arabic — Jamila El Sahili, “Human Being” (2018). Lansing, Michigan. Photo by Jeremy Rafter

a billboard reading, "WE ARE THE ASTEROID" in the style of a traffic control sign — Justin Brice Guariglia, “We Are The Asteroid” (2018). Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Photo by David McNeese

a black billboard with white text reading, "ALL LIES MATTER" — Hank Willis Thomas, “All Lives Matter” (2018). St. Louis, Missouri. Photo by Jessica Baran

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