Deborah Stratman & Steve Badgett

Polygonal Address System

GangPlank Marina, 600 Water, SW (map)

March 20 – April 29 | #polygonaladdress

The Polygonal Address System is a monumental pentagonal raft, 30 feet across, anchored in the Washington Channel, a federal waterway between the Waterfront and Haynes Point. It is entirely solar powered and spins under power of electric motors during daylight hours. A sound component is provided by loudspeakers which announce a wide range of historic sound recordings primarily from public addresses and protests made in the District. The PA System was inspired, in part, by Abbie Hoffman’s 1967 action “Levitate the Pentagon”. The automated public addresses audio program is audible from 10am – 7pm daily; the spinning occurs from dawn to dusk.

As of November 2012, the PA System structure has been relocated to New York City where it awaits further deployment at the infamous Boatel at Marina 59 in Rockaway. The solar kit and electronics array will be repurposed on SIMPARCH’s TEX-HEX floating field unit in Houston in the coming months. UPDATE (May 2013): The Polygonal Address System has been selected as one of the top 50 projects by the Americans for the Arts Public Art Network. 

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Audio Program (in alphabetical order):

• Abbie Hoffman, Press conference re: pentagon levitation, 1967, 0:22

• Rev. Ralph Abernathy, SLCC / Poor People’s March on Washington, 1968, 6:27

• Bella Abzug, address at the National Women’s Year Conference in Houston, 1977, 14:16

• Maya Angelou, address at the National Women’s Year Conference in Houston, 1977, 2:32

• Mary McLeod Bethune, “What Does Democracy Mean to Me”, 1939, 5:45

• General Smedley Butler, Bonus Army march on Washington, 1932 , 0:35

• Liz Carpenter, address at the National Women’s Year Conference in Houston, 1977, 5:51

• Richard Cavelli, Cindy Sheehan and ILWU representatives, May Day Rally, San Francisco, 2008, 4:09

• Cesar Chavez, United Farm Workers, the Wrath of Grapes Boycott, May 1986, 8:31

• Shirley Chisholm, “Unbought and Unbossed”, Washington DC, April 21, 1969, 5:05

• Angela Davis, Occupy Wall Street general assembly, October 30, 2011 , 8:08

• Eugene Debs, “Winning a World”, 1904 , 6:36

• Joseph Duffy, on Pope Paul’s visit, DC anti-Vietnam Protest March, 1965, 17:47

• Frederick Douglass, “No Struggle, No Progress” 1857, 1:11

• Ronnie Dugger, Editor, Texas Observer, DC anti-Vietnam Protest March, 1965, 19:37

• Ladd Everitt, DC Chapter President of Million Mom March, Realco Guns, District Heights, MD. August 28th, 2007, 3:45

• Betty Friedan, Women’s Rights strike. City Hall, NY, NY. August 26, 1970, 0:50

• Samuel Gompers, Labor & War Bonds, 1918, 3:38

• Dick Gregory, at March On Washington, 1969, 3:18

• Reverend Graylan Hagler, School of the Americas protest speech, 4:41

• Sara Haile-Mariam, One Nation Working Together press conference in NY, NY, October 2, 2010, 2:33

• Chris Hedges, Occupy DC, Freedom Plaza. October 16, 2011, 9:44

• Christopher Hitchens, Danish Embassy, Washington DC, 2006, 2:25

• Julius Hobson, March on Washington, 1969, 1:54

• Barbara Jordon, Keynote address at the National Women’s Year Conference in Houston, 1977, 15:39

• Walter Lara, student facing deportation proceedings at Dream Act rally, 2009, 2:29

• Brian Lee, Dream Act speech, 2011, 6:34

• Huey P. Long, “Share the Wealth” Washington DC, 1934, 3:48

• Courtney Love, Million Mom March, Washington DC, 2000 , 2:05

• Russell Means, Transform Columbus Day Rally, Denver, 2007, 7:29

• Stuart Meechum, March on Washington, “We will carry the names of those who died at the hands of military actions”, 1969, 1:08

• Tuolumne Mewuk, Lee Brightman, Chris Yazzie, Quannah Parker Brightman, Sacramento, CA, 2010, 13:50

• Ralph Nader, Anti-war rally, Washington DC. 2011, 10:12

• Rev. Darlene Nipper, One Nation Working Together rally, 2010, 3:06

• Carl Oglesby, DC anti-Vietnam Protest, 1965, 29:00

• A. Philip Randolph, March for Jobs & Freedom, Washington DC, 1963 , 2:56

• Bayard Rustin & A. Philip Randolph, March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom, 1963, 6:06

• Damu Smith, Black Voices for Peace, Plymouth Congregational Church, DC, 2005, 4:27

• Rabbi Scott Sperling, National Capital Immigration Coalition rally, 2006, 4:00

• Dr. Benjamin Spock , DC anti-Vietnam Protest, 1965, 15:07

• Booker T. Washington, Atlanta Cotton States & International Exhibition. Atlanta, GA, 1895, 3:22

• Dr. Cornell West, Occupy DC, 2011, 12:33

• Roy Wilkins, Leader NAACP, March on Washington DC for Jobs & Freedom, 1963, 4:33

• Whitney M. Young Jr., Solidarity March, 1968, 11:08

• Malcolm X, The Ballot or the Bullet excerpt. Detroit, MI, 1964, 4:33