Georgia artist Michael Murphy‘s new work is all about how we look at things, in a literal as well as figurative sense. In God We Trust examines the troubling role of the church in American politics, a topic very much in focus as the US electoral juggernaut builds up speed towards its election.

Using 40 hand-cut wooden plates cleverly suspended from a frame, Murphy’s work, inspired by the one-time US motto “e pluribus unum” (out of many, one), can be viewed as individual pieces – iconic and disturbing images of modern American political life – but the idea only comes together as a unified statement when viewed from the right angle (think Channel 4’s inter-advert bumpers, as shifting perspectives revealdi the full picture).

You can see In God We Trust for yourself from August 24 to November 1 at University of North Carolina Charlotte Center City’s Projective Eye Gallery.