Mo Kessler (they/them) is a queer Southern anarchist, community organizer, and object maker. Centering on the social and environmental landscape of Appalachia and the South, their artwork is focused on labor as both an action and a movement, working-class visibility, and the power of handmade objects. This work ranges in medium and scale. Using regional craft techniques, Mo transforms used domestic materials as a means to investigate place, class, and the politics of disposability.
Raise More
“Raise Less Corn and More Hell” is a quote from Populist leader Mary Elizabeth Lease. Lease fought at the intersections between racial, gender, and economic liberation. In her time, she gave over 160 speeches across Kansas and was integral to bridging the gaps between industrial union activities and the growing labor movement of farmers across the Midwest. This piece was created during my time at the Mother’s Milk Residency in Newton, Kansas.
Artist
Mo Kessler
Medium
Used Bedsheets, Thread, Upholstery Foam