In 1949, Paul Robeson, a civil rights activist and performer with communist ties, organized a concert outside Peekskill, New York. On the day of the event, concertgoers were confronted by a mob of baseball bat-wielding locals who felt the concert promoted
un-American ideals. Several attendees were beaten and stoned and the concert equipment burned. The concert was rescheduled and as concertgoers left this event, they were more severely beaten. These events are now known as the Peekskill Riots.
To protect persecuted thinkers like Paul Robeson, I have created riot suits. Unlike riot suits worn by correctional agents attempting to subdue crowds, these suits are to be worn by individuals whose thoughts are met with resistance on a daily basis. While traditional riot gear utilizes hard plastics and thick fabrics, this suit provides its wearer with soft and warm reassurance while softening blows to the body. Like sausage casing, the riot gear holds the internal riot in while protecting it from the external riot its exposure can incite.

For the performance, I strolled through Peekskill wearing this riot gear.