Art vs Activism Post

I chose this picture because capitalism has become problematic as it progresses into modern times. We became too selfish to the point where we hurt others to be the best of the best. It often fosters corruption much easier because there is little to no regulation to be held accountable for one's actions to success. Since there is class division, we often belittle others beneath us to stay on top and become less empathetic to others. We no longer trust each other when we need them and are forced to solve everything ourselves without seeking help from other people if we cannot. Poor treatment of workers just so the boss can raise their wages is very selfish, even if they want to improve the company. I don't support communism either due to focusing too much on regulation that we aren't allowed to make mistakes and improve upon them. I hope we can one day create a new system that betters society with a mix of the good things of capitalism and communism.

Quotes from "WHY ARTISTIC ACTIVISM? | Center for Artistic Activism"

1. "Acknowledging that the political landscape is also a cultural landscape opens up new terrain to work upon. Whereas art tends to be limited to museums and galleries, and activism to street demonstrations and state houses, artistic activism is at home in town squares and shopping malls, on billboards or through social media…as well as galleries and state houses. This new terrain, neither overtly “arty” or “political” is more familiar and safer to an audience than a museum or a rally, and thus makes artistic activism more attractive, approachable, and friendly than traditional art or activist practices."

2. "Creating and sustaining lasting change demands a change in values, beliefs and patterns of behavior, that is: cultural change. While changing laws and policies are essential, laws will not be followed nor policies enacted unless people have internalized the values that lie behind them."

Responses

1. Artistic Activism is beneficial for communicating with the world about what's happening. I always knew that art is more than just sitting there and looking pretty; it is often helpful in telling what's going on with society without putting the words to describe it. It is often beneficial for Activism since we can make changes without resorting to violence and societal disruption to get our message across.

2. Creating long-lasting change is a hard process since it often has to highlight the flaws of our current values. Then, we must replace those flawed values with new ones to improve society. Spreading awareness through artistic activism is the only way this would help change laws and policies.

Quotes from "An Introduction to Activist Art" | The Collector | by Stefanie Graf

1. "Paula Rego‘s ‘Abortion Series’ from 1998 is a fitting example of art that had a direct political impact. When a referendum to legalize abortion in Portugal failed in 1998, the artist created a series of paintings that highlighted the fear, pain, and danger of illegal abortions. Her artworks had a great impact and were partly responsible for changing public opinion in favor of legalized abortions during the second referendum in 2007."

2. "The interests, hardships, and experiences of marginalized groups are often underrepresented or not discussed at all. Activist art can make these specific experiences visible and include them in historical, social, and political discourse."

Responses

1. It really resonates with me a lot when it comes to illegal abortions. There is often a strict code that if you get pregnant, no matter the age, you are indebted to take care of your child even if you are not mentally prepared to have a kid or if you even want one. Before we ever get into a relationship, we have to experiment first to see if they are compatible, which includes having sex before marriage. If there is accidental pregnancy, we want to have the option to abort the child if that is what's best for our well-being. It shouldn't be excluded if we don't have the money or time to send the child to adoption.

2. I can agree since white people are dominated in media and even glorified as the ideal for humanity due to the color of their skin. We should appreciate the beauty of diverse skin colors without worrying about unrealistic beauty standards. We must even change that we are all people with different genetic mutations and not as separate species of humans because of skin color. We shouldn't add labels or values to people of color because of that.

Quotes from "The 25 Most Influential Works of American Protest Art Since World War II" The New York Times Style Magazine

1. "In the early years of the AIDS epidemic, the government and mainstream media infamously ignored the crisis. By the time President Reagan finally uttered the word “AIDS” in 1985, 12,000 Americans had already died. That same year, six men in New York City — Avram Finkelstein, Brian Howard, Oliver Johnston, Charles Kreloff, Chris Lione and Jorge Socarrás — began meeting to privately share their experiences of AIDS-related loss in the absence of public discourse."

2. "He produced his own version of the flag, updating the text to read 'A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday,' in response to the fatal shooting of Walter Scott by a South Carolina police officer. 'During the Jim Crow era, Black people were terrorized by lynching … It was a threat that hung over all Black people who knew that for any reason or no reason whatsoever you could be killed and the killers would never be brought to justice,' said Scott."

Responses

1. AIDs is often stigmatized due to misinformation about it, like getting it from drinking someone else's glass or going into a pool with someone. Instead of helping people improve, we simply ignore the issue by shunning them from society. There should be advances in medical care to prevent and mitigate AIDs so people can continue to live happy lives.

2. Even though Black People were able to get out of slavery, there is often a new type of discrimination from public discourse due to thinking that white skinned people are superior to people of color. It persists today due to our lack of knowledge and reliance on myths as fact. People of color shouldn't be discriminated against based on the color of their skin and genetics.