Breakfast of Champions

Breakfast of Champions is an installation created in 1991 by the artist duo Ligorano Reese, comprising Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese. The piece critiques the media's portrayal of the Gulf War and its influence on public perception. The installation features a breakfast table set with an American flag-themed place setting, a cup of coffee, half-eaten toast, and a copy of The New York Times. 

The newspaper's front page is a collage of headlines from the Gulf War period, with a video monitor embedded in place of the front-page photo. The video begins with President George H.W. Bush's 1988 "kinder, gentler" presidential ad, transitioning to footage of surrendering prisoners of war, explosions, tanks, and paratroopers, highlighting the contrast between political rhetoric and the realities of war.