Free Jointy!

The object I've created revolves around the controversy of legalizing marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes. Should marijuana be legal? The answer is not so simple to most people. My object can interpret a few of these complicated reasons. Upon first glance, it is clear that there is a very large, personified joint holding on to the bars of a cage. The joint is made with cloth, moss and rubber arms and legs from a reused doll. The green moss is used to represent marijuana and is comically placed to look like hair. Googly eyes and a plastic smile are used for the face. The eyes are half closed and bloodshot, alluding to the fact that the joint figure is stoned. The cage is constructed with a glass floor and jewelry wire for the bars and ceiling, and it's painted black to give it a serious, ominous tone. The black color of the cage resonates more with the idea of a prison.

The intended audience for this 3-D structure is for those who have a negative outlook on the use of marijuana, and especially for those who have a negative view of marijuana users. The people of this audience would look at the joint and see that he is clearly stoned. The mascot captures the stereotypical negative connotation of “stoners.” One can even make the satirical connection of calling him a “pot-head” because his hair is literally made of pot. His “chinky”, blood-shot eyes, smile and easy going attitude at being in prison have certain emotional and logical appeals to this view. Why would a person be smiling when they're in prison? The logical connection is that they must be stupid which confirms the stereotype that all stoners are stupid. It evokes the emotion of pity and shame, and one who thinks negatively of marijuana would think lesser of this person.

This joint also appeals to the voting class that would prefer marijuana to be a legal substance. This crowd would look at the structure and ask “Why is such a harmless, happy individual locked up?” Just because someone chose to use marijuana, does it make them a bad person? Does it make them a threat to society? Does it make them a threat to themselves? Many people in this community would say no. Enjoying the effects of marijuana is not a bad thing. It does not necessarily make them a threat to society, nor does it make them a threat to themselves. To legally penalize someone for simply using marijuana is an injustice by itself. However, the audience could also interpret hope from this percieved injustice. The bars of the prison are very thin and placed widely apart. It would seem that it would be very easy for jointy to escape. This could reflect the various states that have legalized medical marijuana and the two that have decriminalized it.

This idea relates directly back to Campaign Flyer #1 from The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol. This political organization would argue that marijuana is used for the same purposes as alcohol: to have a good time in a social environment or unwind after a long, stressful day. They give statistics to show that alcohol is also dangerous to the user and possibly more dangerous than marijuana, but alcohol is legal and regulated. So why is this joint seen as a bad thing?

One answer to that question can come from the article Marijuana as Medicine: Consider the Pros and Cons. In this article, the Mayo Clinic outlines the known negative effects that marijuana has on the body. It causes impaired balance, coordination and short-term memory and learning abilities. This is similar to the effects of alcohol and can be dangerous given the circumstance. However, alcohol is also regulated to penalize those that become a danger to society and not those who are using it responsibly. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has proven medicinal benefits. It causes reduced nausea and pain, increased appetite, mood elation, reduced anxiety and relaxation. Jocelyn Elders will point out that the medical community recognizes the medical benefits of marijuana in her editorial Myths about Medical Marijuana.

Can the positive medical uses be used as an argument for pro-recreational use? Would people be more comfortable with marijuana users if marijuana had the same regulations as alcohol. Whether the audience's answer is yes or no, all of their arguments and views can be sparked by this seemingly simple and comical object.

Where would it be appropriate to place a structure such as this? Whether we see it as a good or bad substance the controversy of marijuana use is a large part of our culture, and its political history would best be remembered in a museum as an art piece. Just as prohibition of the early 20^th century is remembered through modernist art, one day the political debate over marijuana will be remembered by future generations through the art of present day.

Like most works of art, the making of this piece did not come without challenges. For starters, I'm not a professional cage welder. Despite the cage's simplicity, it was rather difficult to construct. It took quite a bit of measuring to determine the proper length of each wire, and it was quite time consuming to bend it straight. The wire had to be glued to the glass flooring and held in place one piece at a time. Another not-so-easy task was the rolling of the joint. Making a joint as large as this one with cloth and moss instead of paper and weed had it's complications. It's density made it hard to stand it upright with the rubber legs, but with enough glue, it prevailed.

I can't tell myself that I deserve an A on this assignment based on my mediocre crafting and artistic abilities. However crappy it may look, it is very obvious what it is, and my intended message is not difficult to interpret. By looking at it, one can tell that a joint in a jail-cell alludes to the illegality of marijuana. This very idea sparks the questioning of its justice and morality. I put a lot of thought into how I could capture such a heated debate with an object. Creating an object that looked like the components of cannabis or the materials used to smoke it wasn't deep enough, and it wouldn't have expressed any particular message. What I finally produced after much brainstorming is something I find to be very symbolic and original. I hope this will persuade you into judging my project as A material.

Works Cited

Elders, Jocelyn. (2004) “Myths about Medical Marijuana”. Editorial. Providence Journal

The Mayo Clinic. (2006) “Marijuana as Medicine: Consider the Pros and Cons”. Article. www.mayoclinic.com.

2012 Campaign to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol. “Campaign Flyer #1”. http://www.regulatemarijuana.org/flyer1