Beautiful Possibility is a two-year, coast-to-coast touring project by Alison Pebworth investigating American history and contemporary culture. It takes the prototype of the 19th century American traveling show as inspiration for engaging people across the country in dialogue about what it means to be American.

Southern Exposure launches Beautiful Possibility in the form of a gallery-based exhibition, public art project, series of events, and publication. Hand-painted sideshow-style banners combining historical and contemporary images with enigmatic phrases reexamining American history through the imagery of America’s own myths are on view at SoEx. Pebworth also conducts research on “Americanitis” a late 19th century ailment first identified by traveling medicine peddlers through a series of events and field research. Using a customized mobile research unit, Pebworth investigates obscured local histories and conduct surveys of the local residents.

Beautiful Possibility, the publication
SoEx has published a new book with an essay by Rebecca Solnit and designed by MacFadden & Thorpe to accompany the Beautiful Possibility project.