RESIST

Art and Activism

Introduction to Art as Activism

  • Quote by Pascal: "Justice without force is powerless; force without justice is tyrannical."

  • Focus on addressing injustices through art, particularly resisting tyrannical powers.

Explicit Forms of Activism

  • The Yes Men’s Protest: 2009 fake edition of The New York Times.

    • Alternative reality: Iraq War ended, U.S. focuses on issues beyond militarism.

    • Reality check: Over $8 trillion spent on the war on terror since 9/11.

Subtle Forms of Activism

  • Yao Lu’s Artwork: Chinese ink painting that critiques pollution.

    • Initial appearance: Beautiful landscape.

    • Actual content: Pollution is mist, factories are temples; green is tarp on landfills.

  • Impact of Perception: Changes in understanding pollution and climate disaster.

    • U.S. is historically the largest greenhouse gas emitter; China currently holds the title in the global economy.

Questions Around Art and Change

  • Can art foster societal and political change?

  • Do artists influence perceptions of the world?

    • Art as potential justice without force?

  • Is the role of artist to reflect reality or enact change?

Art’s Unique Contribution to Activism

  • Comparison: Why not just be activists or journalists?

  • Example: Extinction Rebellion combines protests with art (murals, posters).

Key Issues in Art and Activism

  1. Political and social protest artworks.

  2. Works addressing the history of racism.

  3. Engagement with colonial histories.

  4. Critiques of sexism, misogyny, and violence against women.

Intersectionality in Activism

  • Recognition that political power, racism, colonialism, and patriarchy overlap historically and presently.

  • Analyzing one issue often connects to others.

Current Social Issues

  • Over half a million homeless in the U.S.

  • Wealth gap: The richest 50 people equivalent to the poorest 165 million.

  • Rising wealth inequality since the 1980s.

  • Christophe Wadisko’s Homeless Vehicle:

    • Designed for the immediate needs of the unhoused: mobile shelter.

    • Symbolizes visibility of homelessness in urban life.

    • Not a solution but raises awareness of deeper issues.

Historical Context of Realism

  • Realism Movement (Mid-19th Century):

    • Depiction of harsh realities of poor and working-class lives during the Industrial Revolution.

  • 1848 political revolutions and The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels.

    • Concept: Struggle between the bourgeoisie (owners) and the proletariat (workers).

  • Marx’s Analysis: Seeing the exploited working class as crucial to societal inertia.

Realist Artwork Example

  • The Gleaners by Jean-François Millet:

    • Illustrates challenging labor conditions of the poor.

    • Depicts gleaners as the poorest segment of society, collecting scraps post-harvest.

  • Alienated Labor:

    • Gleaners represent the alienation from labor and potential, highlighting social justice issues.