In A Dangerous Proposition, artist Rebecca Keller reframes public education as a radical act. Glass containers are filled with water, while lightbulbs hover inside the containers, almost touching the surface. The vessels are surrounded by projections of quotes about philosophies of teaching and learning, such as the notion that children are vessels to be filled with knowledge. In this video by Ted Brusubardis, Keller reflects on the recent history of public education and its role in equipping students with the capacity to think critically and to question their surroundings, as well as her own teaching practice at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
This exhibition was presented at the Carthage College H. F. Johnson Gallery of Art, March 6-April 22, 2017, along with a second installation titled What Remains is Dust.