An open – air exhibition set up by Art At A Time Like This and Save Art Space called  “Ministry of Truth: 1984/2020” adorn the five boroughs of New York City. Participating artist include Shirin Neshat, Marilyn Minter, Abigail Deville, Dread Scott, Mel Chin, Ruj Greigam, Lola Flash and V.L. Cox.

“‘Ministry of Truth: 1984/2020’ is a reference to George Orwell’s dystopian novel. In which a Ministry of Truth announces WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH, horrifyingly relevant in 2020. Inspired by this scenario, artists submitted an outpouring of ideas, ranging from bleak outlook on democracy to concerns about the divisiveness in political rhetoric today,” as per a statement by Art At A Time Like This.

A novel depicting about the life of a seemingly insignificant individual, Winston Smith, who works in a ministry of the totalitarian state of Oceania to falsify historical facts. Smith becomes dissatisfied with his worthless life, and in time he becomes an opponent of such a system and is eventually arrested, tortured and re-educated. The novel describes an extreme totalitarian society and an individual in a life supervised 24 hours a day.

Prominent works include the sublime, lively composition of Marilyn Minter, which contains the words “Justice Now“ and Dread Scott’s black-and-white billboard “9-1-1. A white man is running down the street.

”Scott’s work seemingly sheds light on the murder of Ahmaud Arbery — the 25-year-old unarmed Black man who was jogging when he was shot dead during a confrontation with a father and son in Georgia back on February 23. “Ministry of Truth is a true reflection of our fears, frustrations and truth at this harrowing time,” said Art At A Time Like This.