American Imagery Bank Official Mission Statement

The American Imagery Bank is a conceptual platform meant to serve as a singular source for our national iconography. Its objective is to research, expand, and redefine America’s visual identity through public participation and art production.

Section 1 Process >

1a Public Participation

Various questions are proposed to the general public with themes related to American identity. New questions will be proposed throughout the ongoing project. All are welcome to participate in as many surveys as desired.

Submissions will be reviewed and curated to ensure quality and variety.

1b Symbol Creation

The chosen submissions will be used to create visual symbols, which are then crafted into individual woodcuts.

Each woodcut created will be photographed, digitally cataloged on the official American Imagery Bank website, and credited to the submitter of the original answer. See example.

1c Artwork Production

As woodcuts are completed they will be used to create larger monoprints on paper. Each monoprint will be photographed and digitally cataloged. The monoprints will be displayed in various public exhibitions.

Follow the ongoing process on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Section 2 Survey >

  • What three nouns—people, places, things, or ideas—symbolize you as an individual? Explanations welcome, but not required. E.G. “Sailboats, Bill Cosby, and Calculators”
  • 2b Printed name

  • > In order to be credited and notified if your submission is chosen, fill out line items 2B–2C. Leave blank if you prefer to remain anonymous.

    > The American Imagery Bank guarantees personal information will be used solely to credit and notify the submitter in the case that the submitter’s entry is selected. Personal information will not be sold to solicitors under any circumstances.

    > The American Imagery Bank reserves the right to reject submissions (and revoke submission privileges) if it is determined that any information submitted in sections 2b–2d is an act of forgery, libel, or automated by non-human entities.

  • 2c Email address
  • 2d City and State
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Section 4 Catalog >

Recent Catalog Entries

AIB-WC-0016

Fairytales

AIB-WC-0015

Palm Trees

AIB-WC-0014

Technology