Beirut-born, New York-based artist Annabel Daou took the American Declaration of Independence as a conceptual starting point for this piece. Instead of delivering a polemical statement about nationality, Daou’s work explores the impact of political language on our emotions and perceptions. At the heart of the exhibition is WHEN IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS (2019–20), a nearly twenty-foot-long scroll of dyed microfiber paper inscribed with a sprawling, text in white correction fluid. The piece opens with the iconic line from the Declaration, “when in the course of human events it becomes necessary,” and is followed by hundreds of infinitive phrases: “to take a step back, to take a deep breath, to hold out your hands, to hold back your tears, to scream in the night, to wait for the dawn . . .” These expressions, drawn from artists, activists, and everyday conversations, span a spectrum of human emotions—ranging from rage and triumph to profound despair.