Kansas City, Mo. — Anyone visiting the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City cannot miss the nearly 7-story art exhibit across the street.
The letters “IOU” on one side and “USA” on the other give the artist’s commentary about the state of the U.S. economy.
Artist John Salvest published this statement on his web site about his exhibit that will be displayed until Oct. 16:
“The placement of the project near a regional branch of the Federal Reserve Bank, one of the main components of national economic policy, comes at a time when concern about the United States’ ballooning federal budget and foreign trade deficits is a major part of the national conversation. Its location between the Fed and the Pioneer Mother Memorial is also fitting in that, whereas the permanent public monument rightfully celebrates America’s and Kansas City’s triumphant past, the temporary public sculpture may generate meaningful discussion about where we, as a nation, are heading.”
On Sunday the Kansas City group, the Liberty Restoration Project, held an “IOU USA Art Display Education/Rally Day” to get the word out “about the Federal Reserve and their responsibility in the downward economy, as well as the weakening of the dollar.”
Perhaps rain kept attendance down. Only about a dozen met near the art exhibit at the time announced on Facebook.
Missouri Watchdog asked Jim Davidson, Lawrence, Kan., about what the exhibit meant to him.
“This represents the national debt, “said Davidson, but he claimed the debt was not his:
“That’s one of the primary things I’m here about. The United State of America Corporation might owe this money [pointing the Federal Reserve Building], the politicians might own it, and the bureaucrats that spent it might owe this money. The Federal Reserve thinks they have the collateral of all the people in the United States, but since I don’t believe in chattel slavery, I don’t believe that.”