Brian C. Moss

Last Day - First Day, 2017

After the election of Donald Trump in 2016, and as part of a broader Loyola Marymount University pre-inauguration day “teach-in” response, "Last Day - First Day” was organized by Professors Garland Kirkpatrick, Erik Benjamins, Brian Moss, Aristotle Mosier and Neno Pervan. The exhibition, performance, conversation and screening took place in the Thomas P. Kelly Student Art Gallery in the Burns Fine Arts Center starting the day before the 2017 inauguration, and remained on view for one week.

It was a creative and interdisciplinary response to the perplexities, fears and anger regarding the then incoming Trump administration. The event featured Benjamins’ open call for letters to Barack Obama as he exited the U.S. Presidency, and letters to Donald Trump as he entered the presidency. Art, graphics, maps, articles, and other texts examining that election and problems in determining truth were also featured. The exhibition was sponsored by the Department’s Studio Arts program, Theatre Arts, College of Communication and Fine Arts, and Ethnic & Intercultural Services.

U.S. map showing results of the 2016 Presidential Election with each state color representing the combined percentage of Democratic (blue) and Republican (Red) votes in shades of purple.

Enhanced graphic from the New York Times.

Spread from Last Day, First Day by Erik Benjamins, 2017

Spread from Last Day, First Day featuring work by Keiko Sakai

Spread from Last Day, First Day featuring work by Lauren Molina

Spread from Last Day, First Day featuring work by Brian C. Moss

Spread from Last Day, First Day featuring work by Katherine Mitchell Dirico

Last Day - First Day, 2017
installation view

Performance in the T.P.K. Student Art Gallery at LMU on January 19th as part of Last Day - First Day, 2017

Performance in the T.P.K. Student Art Gallery at LMU on January 19th as part of Last Day - First Day, 2017

Organizers: Erik Benjamins, Garland Kirkpatrick, Aristotle Mosier, Brian C. Moss, Neno Pervan
Participants: Diana Delgado, Glenn Grishkoff, Amir Hussain, Bill Parham
LMU Students: Annalisa Cochran, Ian Salazar (Theatre Arts); Callie Cameron, Daion Chesney, Tori Duderstadt, Bryan Froderman, Renee Uba, Kenji Yamamoto (Photography); and the class of GLenn Grishkoff

Performance in the T.P.K. Student Art Gallery at LMU on January 19th as part of Last Day - First Day, 2017

Last Day - First Day, 2017
teach-in discussion after the performance in the T.P.K. Student Art Gallery at LMU on January 19th

Panelists at right (from left - right): Bill Parham (Education), Amir Hussain (Theology), Diana Delgado ('16, RSHM Social Justice Scholar), and Neno Pervan (Theatre)

Opening for Last Day - First Day, January 19th, 2017

letters to Barack Obama and Donald Trump on their respective last and first days as President of the United States

Opening for Last Day - First Day, January 19th, 2017

graphics and art by Brian C. Moss

Opening for Last Day - First Day, January 19th, 2017

letters to Barack Obama and Donald Trump on their respective last and first days as President of the United States

Opening for Last Day - First Day, January 19th, 2017

posters by Robbie Conal at left

Opening for Last Day - First Day, January 19th, 2017

graphics and art by Brian C. Moss

Opening for Last Day - First Day, January 19th, 2017

reading materials

Screening during the opening for Last Day - First Day, January 19th, 2017