Bob Haozous

Pennies for Silence

JULY 4th, 2025
3–7 pm
while supplies last

In the Railyard Park, by the front of SITE SANTA FE
1606 Paseo de Peralta
 

On January 20th of this year, Axle Contemporary released a FreeApache video, The Emperor (watch it here). The video reached over 6,000 people worldwide.

The short video shows a Donald Trump piñata, found and refurbished by artist Bob Haozous, with a skirt of dollar bills and an offer of "pennies for silence." Below the piñata is a large mound of 1,150 small cloth bags, each containing 50 pennies.

Now, as pennies themselves are being eliminated, but still here (the same situation as Native people, as Bob says) we ask what does this work of art mean-to us and our community- in this time?

Since January 20th (the day of Trump's inauguration), every day brings new issues that challenge our assumptions and our norms of how our government is run. Do we accept a small payout for our silence and complicity? Do we stand up for those who are more impacted than ourselves as rights are shredded, funding disappears, and immigrants are deported? 

On July Fourth, Axle will display the piñata and a gilded wheelbarrow full of the bags of pennies. Visitors can take a bag of pennies (free of charge, one per person, first come-first served, while supplies last). Each bag is marked on one side with a $ sign and signed on the back with an "H".

Inside the Axle Contemporary Mobile Artspace, we will be hosting Radio Tomada, a mobile community radio broadcast, organized by Autumn Chacon. We think the two projects pair nicely. As Autumn said: "Pennies for silence, but free speech is free!"

Come by, get your free bag of coin, and maybe step into the truck and speak your mind.