In the final days leading up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, 200 artists have banded together to fundraise to combat voter suppression through States of Change. For just $150, you can buy an open-edition, 10-by-12-inch photography print by the likes of Annie Leibovitz, Carrie Mae Weems, Catherine Opie, Thomas Demand, Sofia Coppola, Stephen Shore, Yorgos Lanthimos, Michael Stipe, and more.
“It’s simple,” artist and musician Kim Gordon, of the band Sonic Youth, said in an email of her decision to participate. “It’s important to protect the process of the freedom to vote.”
Organized by artists Matthew Booth, Jim Goldberg, Gregory Halpern, and Carmen Winant, States of Change launched a similar initiative in 2020, and raised $1.5 million in just five days. This time around, the sale will last six days, October 30 through November 4.
“We see voter suppression, and threats to democracy more broadly, as being among the biggest issues we are facing not only in the U.S. but globally. And this felt to us like something our community could really get behind and work together on, to try to make a difference,” Booth told me.
At least $100 from each sale will go to local grassroots organizations working to ensure that each and every American is able to exercise their right to vote.
It’s a task that has become more challenging over the last two years, with nearly a third of the states introducing measures such as requiring photo IDs, banning ballot drop boxes, and limiting early and mail voting, according to States of Change.
“Vote as if your freedom depends upon it… because it does!” photographer Richard Misrach said.
“We’re absolutely blown away by the response that we’ve gotten after reaching out to artists. The level of artists participating is off the charts and the strength of the work that individual artists donated is truly inspiring,” Booth added. “There’s work from younger artists we deeply admire, as well as from completely established icons. And we’re just so thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to make work of this level available at a price point that is accessible, while at the same time making a meaningful difference.”
Master printer Trevor Clement is the project’s production coordinator. The prints will are being made at Light Work, a nonprofit in Syracuse, New York, using archival inkjet printing, or gicleé printing, on Epson Legacy Platine paper.
States of Change has enlisted two partnering organizations, State Voices and Movement Voter Fund, to make sure that the money will go to the states where voter suppression efforts are the strongest. They will let recipients know how money is coming their way at the end of each day’s sales, ensuring that they can make use of the funds before the polls close on November 5.
“A real priority for us is focusing on local groups who work at the grassroots level in communities,” Booth said. “We were looking for partners who have a national presence, but have the ability to move funds to those smaller groups on the ground who we think can make the biggest difference. Movement Voter Fund and State Voices are both absolute leaders in in this area.”
The fundraiser specifically hopes to combat disinformation campaigns aimed at intimidating immigrant and Latino voters, and other efforts to discourage voters from going to the polls.
“As a Latino Arab American, it’s been beautiful to witness both of my parents gain the right to vote and then participate in the democratic process. Having access to the vote is having access to saying what we think matters,” artist Mohamed Sadek said. “I hope that this drive helps get more minority groups to the polls to further the significance of minorities’ interests in elected officials’ actions.”