Exhibition: Above the Fold

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During her time as a Master of Public Policy student at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, Anjelika Deogirikar Grossman (MPP’14) became more curious about how news is presented. She left Professor Paul Begala’s class “Politics, Policy, and the Media” wondering, “What stories end up on the front page ‘above the fold’ of a newspaper?”

“As I developed my artist practice, a theme that I keep returning to is how the news is presented and how we consume it. Like quilts or patterns, Above the Fold explores how stories are woven into our lives — through traditions, culture, and the news. I hope this exhibit leaves viewers wondering: What stories grab our attention? Whose stories are centered? Who is framing the narrative? What stories end up on the front page “above the fold” of a newspaper? What stories need to be elevated?”

On the 1st floor of Lauinger Library in the Gelardin Center, Above the Fold incorporates newspapers from January-February 2022 as image transfer and collage. In addition, each piece incorporates watercolor painting. The frames used in this exhibition have been donated by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

The idea of what news should appear on page A1 — and in particular what stories end up above the fold — has shifted with the accessibility of news online and by the consumption of news from different sources, presented in different mediums. We welcome your reflections on the following questions: What stories grab your attention? Whose stories are being centered? And what stories should be elevated? Share your reflections with #AboveTheFoldatLAU

For more information about the exhibition, including close up images, please visit abovethefoldproject.com/abovethefoldexhibition