If you discover the hashtag #FeelTheMuppet, you will inevitably stumble upon an orange-colored puppet with a distinctive blue nose, white shag hairdo and cartoonish glasses. Who might this stuffed, felt-y friend be? Well, it's more prominent identifier -- #ArtistsForBernieSanders -- gives it away.
It's Bernie Sanders, or, rather, the Ernie Sanders of our dreams.
The muppet version of Sanders, created by artist Donny Miller, is part of "The Art of a Political Revolution," an exhibition featuring art inspired by -- and not-so-subtly in support of -- the 2016 presidential candidate. Participating artists include the likes of Molly Crabapple, Ron English and Shepard Fairey, none of whom are unfamiliar with politicized art. Fairey, for his part, was an unforgettable force in the 2008 election, creating the "Hope" poster for President Barack Obama.
Sanders has reiterated his devotion to arts funding throughout his campaign, claiming he would be a president for the arts. He often recounts how, when he was Mayor of Burlington, Vermont, he oversaw the creation of the Burlington Arts Council. "At that time, way back when, it was almost unheard of to have a municipally supported and funded effort to promote the arts," he explained to the Arts Action Fund in September of last year. "We brought the arts to underserved communities and brought the arts to neighborhood parks ... when I look back on my eight years as mayor, founding the Burlington Arts Council was one of my proudest achievements."
The touring "Political Revolution" show recently ended its run in Manhattan, just ahead of the primary vote in New York on April 19. Check out a preview of the Bern-worthy pieces below:
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