With a mix of the trending 1950s style and sexism, Jordan Adams ‘13, received first place in the Congressional Art Competition.

“Things from the 50s get really sexist,” Adams said.

The winning piece was part of a series of four she created last year.

“I took these sexest ads and I made them into images that are counterculture, and are making a statement against all the things that are originally what the ads were about.” Adams said.

She used different layers of symbolism in her piece to convey her message. The winning piece was an ad for a library, showing a father reading to his three children, who are laughing and enjoying the experience.

“Its like you’re looking through a window to a house,” Adams described. “I changed it, it ended up with the dude [having] a big donkey on his head.”

The man who Adams goes on to describe as an “ass,” is now reading to three happily blindfolded children. She says the blindfolds are a symbol of the absence of free choice, suggesting that parents are the biggest fault.

“They’re not really like people,” Adams said. “[Parents] are teaching the kids all this stuff, and the kids get blamed for how they are; not the parents who are the ones who taught them all these things.”

Adams was pleased, but surprised by her honor.

“I thought it was really weird,” Adams admits. “All the images that I sent in were really counterculture and making fun of all the typical american household and the american way. I totally didn’t expect to win.”