New Radio Show 'Me What Democracy Looks Like' Debuts, Inspired by documenta 14

Richard Finlay Fletcher has introduced a new weekly radio program called 'Me What Democracy Looks Like' on SoundCloud, with its inaugural episode debuting in August 2026. This show draws inspiration from the '34 Exercises of Freedom' initiative presented at documenta 14 in September 2016 and is designed for the online course Art Education 2600: Visual Culture: Representation and Society at The Ohio State University, also recorded during the in-person class. Titled '14 New Exercises of Freedom, Ohio,' the episode coincides with the Midterm election season in the U.S. and the 250th anniversary of the nation’s independence as a settler colony. It examines the visual culture of political campaigns, showcasing works by artist Pope.L, including 'Whispering Campaign' (2017) and 'Skin Set Project' (1997-2023). The episode features excerpts from the 14-hour documentary 'Exergue on documenta 14,' directed by Dimitris Athiridis (released 2024), which captures artistic director Adam Szymczyk discovering the budget deficit while listening to the radio. Additionally, it concludes with a musical outro featuring Dolly Parton's rendition of 'Everyday People' by Sly & the Family Stone alongside Kermit the Frog. The show includes insights from Pope.L regarding the limitations of art, as well as comments from Szymczyk and Paul B. Preciado on the condition of democratic institutions. Visual accompaniment notes can be accessed through a Google Docs link.