Alfredo Jaar: 24-Hour Museum Installation
Alfredo Jaar's piece mobilizes the harmony of human emotion with the destruction of disaster. Having been installed in Skoghall Sweden, a place governed by social democracy, things like housing and jobs are made available for everyone. Seemingly everything prevented by the inequities of capitalism are provided, except for a museum. Displaying local artists' work for a brief twenty-four hours, the installation was then violently burnt to the ground, raising concerns about the integrity of Jaar's intention. But yet, the act aligns greatly with the core values of a social democratic regime. Because of collective action, it was announced by Skoghall's mayor following the collapse, that the people desired to construct a permanent museum, for the common cause of reliving a past experience. The architect becomes an activist to voice the need for a permanent institution of cultural significance in Skoghall.
"When the economy of information is one of scarcity, knowledge does equal power." Page 22
Knowledge is only powerful for those who can provide and abuse it. In today's day and age, we can look at social media algorithms to understand how manipulative a newsfeed can be, yet how weak one can feel having access to knowledge. Those of relative privilege in armchair position decide which topics amuse us. This illusion of what's important singlehandedly spreads a false narrative that "knowledge is power." Sayings like such are what enables people to say things like "we shall overcome," but these sayings are proof that a system has failed you. Think about how much harder an immigrant has to work to receive an American education. Failing to overcome language barriers can be downright draining, belittling one's self esteem for not assimilating. One's native linguistic structure can be entirely different from American English, yet they are expected to OVERCOME and forget everything they have once known to receive an A++.
"In our world, the sublime is in the service of capitalism and hierarchy." Page 27
The power one beholds from an artistic activist standpoint is often wasted. We are taught that art is something "special," and separate from our everyday lives, only to create class conflict. Artists simply portray their environments and interpretations on what goes on around them. But in a system where corruption is incentivized for profit, the secondary art market exploits artists name, image, and likeness to attain more capital. In a perfect society, where artists gain notoriety for solely their talent and activist voice rather than value, the starving artist narrative would be less relevant.
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