Final Intervention Project- Patti Fasani

 

Left column: 

Nex Benedict

Darri Moore

Kitty Monroe

Sasha Williams

Africa Parrilla Garcia

Righteous Torrence “TK” Hill

Diamond Brigman

Alex “Boo” Taylor Franco

Meraxes Medina

Yella Clark

River Nevaeh Goddard

Tee Arnold

Starr Brown

Andrea Doria Dos Passos

Kita Bee

Right column:

Jazlynn Johnson

Tayy Dior Thomas

Michelle Henry

Liara Kaylee Tsai

Pauly Likens

Kenji Spurgeon

Shannon Boswell

Monique Brooks

Dylan Gurley

Tai’Vion Lathan

Kassim Omar

Redd

Honee Daniels

Santonio “San” Coleman

Quanesha “Cocoa” Shantel

I wanted to do something to honor the many trans people we’ve lost this year. Especially after election day and the devastating results, trans people are feeling more hopeless than ever. Lately, it feels like I’m finding out about the passing of a trans person almost every day. There’s so much negativity surrounding trans people that I wanted to do something to portray trans identities in a positive light. When practically the whole world opposes the idea of being transgender, being trans and showing pride in that is an act of defiance itself. I wanted people to look at it and see that trans people are real people with real feelings and we will not go quietly. The phrase written at the bottom, “more than a statistic,” is meant to humanize those who’ve died this year and also trans individuals in general. No matter the push back, trans people will continue to exist. We have always been here and we always will.  I also wanted to show that despite the public perception of trans people, being trans isn’t some curse that trans people all dread having been born with; it’s a beautiful thing that deserves to be celebrated. That’s what the butterflies represent: metamorphosis, rebirth, new beginnings. I love being trans, even if it’s hard sometimes, and I want it to be known that many other trans people feel the same. While my sister and I were drawing the butterflies, two men walking down the street stopped to look at what we’d written and talked about it amongst themselves for a good few minutes. I don’t know what was being said, as they were speaking in Spanish, but they both seemed to be very interested in it. I had a few other interactions like that, of people stopping in their tracks to look at what we’d written on the ground. One of our neighbors asked us what we were doing, and I got to explain to him that I wanted to do something in memory of the trans people we’ve lost this year and to honor them.

A big inspiration for this was the movie “I Saw the TV Glow,” written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun. This movie is about the complexity of transness and the struggle, as well as the relief, of finding your true self. A key message of this movie is that “there is still time,” and it’s something that’s reinforced throughout the whole movie. Even if you’re too scared to look inside yourself, even if you think you’re too old, even if you’ve spent a whole lifetime unsure of who you were, there is still time. This movie also uses the powerful symbolism of burying yourself alive as a metaphor for transness. You must bury the person you were forced to be, in order to be reborn as the person you’re meant to be and always were deep down. There’s also a scene which shows chalk drawings on the ground with the phrase, “there is still time” underneath them, and I liked the idea of using chalk to spread the message.

Quotes:

“We may like to think of politics as a purely rational business, where sensible people logically discuss and debate the issues at hand, come to a reasoned decision, and then judiciously act. Certainly this is how politics has been taught to us in our civics classes. But as recent developments in cognitive science suggest, humans don’t think and behave this way: we make sense of our world through stories and symbols that frame the information we receive and then act accordingly.” ("Why Art Activism?" https://c4aa.org/2018/04/why-artistic-activism)

    This is why activism through art tends to be so effective. It’s not just numbers to interpret, it appeals to our humanity. Historically, humans have shared ideas throughout mythology and storytelling because it’s easier to digest information and retain it that way; it gives us something to think about and interpret for ourselves.

“Another important goal of activist art is to create awareness of existing political and social issues. When the public is looking away from suffering that could be prevented or does not want to be confronted with it, activist art often creates a dialogue and forces people to think about these problems.” ("An Introduction to Activist Art" https://www.thecollector.com/introduction-to-activist-art/)

    I figured putting my piece on the sidewalk would make it so that anyone walking past it would have to acknowledge it to some degree. 

Sources/Research:

• https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/activist-art

• https://harvardpolitics.com/performance-art-activism/

• https://www.advocate.com/crime/transgender-americans-killed-2024

• https://c4aa.org/2018/04/why-artistic-activism

Final Intervention project - Joe Chris El Helou

Overview of "Voices Unheard: The Untold Stories of Homelessness"

The project "Voices Unheard: The Untold Stories of Homelessness" focuses on the issue of homelessness by sharing the personal stories of people who are homeless in my community. The goal is to show their humanity and experiences beyond just their living conditions. The project will include an interactive multimedia installation and a website featuring audio interviews, personal writings, and artwork from the participants, giving a fuller picture of their lives.

Why This Topic Matters

Homelessness is often seen with negativity and misunderstanding, which makes it hard for people to see those affected as individuals. This topic is important because it affects many lives, yet it is often ignored in the media. ​This project aims to change that by highlighting the personal stories of homeless individuals, making their voices heard and showing their struggles and strengths.​

Project Message and Audience Engagement

The main message of this project is to build empathy and understanding in the community. By sharing different stories of homeless people and their resilience, I want to change common misconceptions and encourage people in the community to support real changes. The project will be shown in a local community center, where visitors can see portraits, listen to audio stories, and read written accounts, as well as find information about local resources for homelessness. Feedback from early focus groups shows that participants felt deeply connected to these stories and wanted to help local homeless initiatives.

Professional Goals and Inspirations

As a new artist focused on social issues, this project matches my goal of using art to start conversations and create change. It will help me strengthen my skills in storytelling and community engagement. I’m inspired by projects like The Homeless Museum of Art, which showcases art made by homeless people, and JR's Inside Out Project, which shares the voices of underrepresented communities through large-scale art. Other inspirations include Molly Crabapple, who uses illustrated stories about social issues, and The Invisible Man Project, which connects personal stories to the community.

Conclusion

"Voices Unheard" is more than just an art project; it is a chance for conversation and connection. By sharing stories that usually go untold, we can break down misunderstandings and create a kinder community. I invite everyone to join in this experience, engage with the stories, and work together to support change. This project is a step toward not just my artistic growth but also improving awareness and support for those experiencing homelessness.

PERFORMANCE ART INTERVENTION 11/20 - Joe Chris El Helou

 Title: The Scream by Edvard Munch

Message: This iconic painting is a powerful expression of anxiety and existential dread. Munch uses bold colors and distorted forms to convey a sense of psychological turmoil. The work is often interpreted as a reflection of the artist's own personal struggles and the broader anxieties of the modern age.

Performance Art:

Artist: Marina Abramovic

Performance: The Artist Is Present

Message: In this groundbreaking performance, Abramovic sat motionless for 736 hours and 30 minutes, inviting visitors to sit across from her and engage in a silent dialogue. The work explores themes of presence, time, and human connection. Abramovic challenges traditional notions of the artist-audience relationship, inviting viewers to participate in a shared experience.

Yoko Ono Instruction Piece:

• Imagine Peace: Write the words "Imagine Peace" on a piece of paper. Fold the paper and carry it with you. Whenever you feel anxious or stressed, take out the paper and read the words. Imagine a world filled with peace and harmony.

Quotes and Responses from the Textbook Readings:

1. "The role of the artist is to make the revolution permanent." - James Baldwin

This quote resonates with me because it emphasizes the power of art to inspire social change and challenge the status quo. Artists can use their work to raise awareness of important issues and provoke critical thinking.

2. "Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a window through which we can look at the world in a new way." - George Bernard Shaw

This quote speaks to the transformative power of art. Art can challenge our perceptions, evoke emotions, and offer new perspectives on the world around us.

3. "The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine." - Plato

Plato's philosophy suggests that art can be a means of connecting with something beyond ourselves and exploring the deeper meaning of existence. Art can offer a glimpse into the transcendent and inspire spiritual contemplation.

4. "The artist is not a person apart, but a person who lives among other people and is involved in their problems." - Pablo Picasso

This quote highlights the importance of artists engaging with social and political issues. By addressing these issues, artists can contribute to positive change and make a meaningful impact on society.

Final Project Intervention - Albert De La Cruz

 

For my final intervention project, I am creating a collection of butterfly cutouts, each written with my family’s immigration story pasted on a Dominican Flag. These butterflies symbolize migration, resilience, and the transformative journey of immigrants. This project aims to raise awareness about immigration by sharing intimate, humanizing narratives that counteract negative stereotypes. The butterfly was chosen because it represents transformation, freedom, and the beauty of similar lives. Just as butterflies travel in large distances during migration, immigrants often partake journeys that reshape their identities and strengthen their communities. By combining these stories with the visual appeal of the butterfly, the project invites empathy and reflection. The Dominican flag serves as an important backdrop, representing my personal connection to my heritage and the stories of countless immigrants from the Dominican Republic and beyond.

Message for the Audience

 My message to the audience is clear immigration is a human experience that deserves understanding and compassion. Each story highlights an individual’s courage, struggles, and triumphs, emphasizing the value immigrants bring to society. The butterfly cutouts create a space for these voices to be seen and heard, encouraging viewers to reflect on the broader implications of migration. Immigration is a deeply human experience, marked by resilience, hope, and a new start. The butterfly cutouts and their placement on the Dominican flag create a visual narrative that highlights the contributions of immigrants while encouraging viewers to reflect on their own connections to migration and cultural identity.

My final intervention project feels deeply connected to the Undocubus. The Undocubus was an activist initiative where undocumented immigrants traveled across the U.S., sharing their stories and advocating for immigrant rights. It wasn’t just a form of transportation it was a moving platform for resistance and storytelling, bringing individual voices together to create a powerful collective narrative. In a similar way, my project uses butterfly cutouts to represent the journeys of my family, with their words to describe their stories written on each wing. By assembling these  butterflies onto a Dominican flag, I’m emphasizing the intersection of personal narratives with cultural heritage and national identity. Like the Undocubus, this project is about movement and transformation. The butterflies symbolize the emotional and cultural journeys immigrants had to expirence, while the flag ties these experiences to a shared sense of pride and belonging. Both my project and the Undocubus highlight the courage of immigrants, using visual storytelling to challenge immigration narratives and the importance of their contributions.

Inspirational Artists/Projects

1. The Undocubus: The Undocubus project, where undocumented immigrants shared their stories while traveling across the U.S., inspired me to highlight the power of collective storytelling and the visual impact of bringing individual voices together.

2. JR’s Inside Out Project: JR’s art motivated me to explore how art can transform personal stories into a collective visual statement, creating a connection between the individual and the immigration community.

3. Favianna Rodriguez’s Work: Her use of butterflies as symbols of migration and freedom deeply influenced my choice to use butterfly cutouts.

4. Juan Giraldo’s Luis’ Arm with Flag: His portrayal of a flag as the backbone of an immigrant’s personal story inspired me to incorporate the Dominican flag as a central element in my project

Research Resources

1. The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio 

2. "Art and Activism: Engaging Social Issues Through Visuals" 

3. "The Migration Butterfly Effect" 

4. This Is What I Know About Art by Kimberly Drew 

5. Curatorial Activism: Towards an Ethics of Curating by Maura Reilly 

Quotes

1. “Art has the power to disrupt and provoke thought in ways words cannot.” 

2. “Activism is about creating spaces for dialogue and understanding.” 

3. “The personal is political, and the political is personal.” 

   
   

   https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Ll-Cp6Vq38X-J1cd9i-yNtbSNu8_PLuyhEgflJ2ryc8/edit#slide=id.p

Performance Art Intervention- Patti Fasani

 

Textbook Quotes and Responses:

Chapter 3:

“Unlike a list of grievances or demands, easily understood and just as easily ignored, the parables asked listeners to puzzle through their mysteries and meanings.”

    He asked listeners to think, rather than giving them the answer, making the conclusion they come to more impactful and personal. They weren’t given the answer, they had to work for it; it allowed the idea to sit in their minds for longer. Connecting this to art activism, you can’t simply give observers the answer, it should be some sort of question or idea that stays in the back of their mind for them to decipher for themselves. 

“When we act in order to bring about social change, it’s important not only to ‘demonstrate’ what we are against in the here and now, but also to create a vision of the world we would like to bring into being in the future. It is not enough to merely criticize the way things are. This, perversely, can actually reinforce the status quo by recentering what is.”

    Change can’t be made without an idea of how to change, and the hope for it to happen.

Chapter 4:

“Art is powerful. It’s a way we can express our understandings of the world as it is, and articulate our visions for how it could be. In this way, all art is political, whether the artist intends it to be or not.”

“Through art, the ways of seeing of the rich and powerful are presented as the way of seeing for everyone; the elite set the standards to which we all feel we must conform.”

    Because of this, any art that deviates from that perspective politically challenges the status quo. When we make art, it’s a reflection of our inner workings, how we perceive ourselves, how we perceive others, how we communicate with the world. Therefore, when we view art, it allows us to see into the artist and their identity. And, in our current day and age our identities themselves are political.

Artwork From Textbook:

This illustration depicts an event that happened in Bogota, Columbia in 1995, where the mayor hired 420 mimes to direct traffic in an effort to reduce traffic congestion and fatal accidents. Because of this effort, traffic fatalities dropped by 50%. The performance art of dressing up as mimes effectively makes the art interactive, taking the observer out of a passive role and into an active one. In addition, it manages to not just move people in the moment but shift the culture to a degree, which is illustrated by a significant drop in traffic fatalities.

Performance Art from Videos:

In Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece, she sits still in front of an audience with a pair of scissors next to her and invites the audience members to use the scissors on her clothing however they want. Some people simply cut off little, unsubstantial pieces of her clothing that didn’t affect her too much, while others would cut large parts of her clothing off or purposely cut off pieces of clothing that would leave her exposed. The purpose of this performance was to reveal how womens’ bodies are viewed by society. By allowing the audience to do whatever they wanted to her, it revealed something about their own psyches. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sa1y-PAAzE

Link to my performance piece: https://youtu.be/ffGWLKOG9R0?si=YecmMOFPMVOuq0xy

For my performance art piece I dressed up in a suit, something stereotypically masculine, and I had my dad wear a dress, something stereotypically feminine, and then we walked around our neighborhood. The purpose of this was to initiate a question in the minds of those who may have passed us on the street: What is gender, really? What defines it? What defines what’s masculine and feminine, and who decides what rules we have to follow? 

In our current society, the idea of gender is one that is dismissed all too often. No one really thinks about gender or what it means to them; we’re simply assigned a certain gender at birth and are told not to question it. As a nonbinary person, gender is something I’ve thought a lot about, but I think it’s important for cisgender people to question our society’s standards for gender as well. Gender identity is not just a trans issue. Our patriarchal society is built upon a construct of gender that’s very restrictive and ‘one size fits all.’ While my father and I were walking around, my father specifically received strange looks from pretty much everyone that we passed. As we crossed the street, people in cars stared at him like he was a spectacle. Even my own mother, who I asked to record for us, couldn’t help but laugh at the image of my father in a dress. I was expecting some confused reactions to my father’s appearance, but the outright looks of disgust that a lot of people gave him were a little surprising to me. It just goes to show that our society really is not in favor of anything that deviates from our constructed idea of gender. 

PERFORMANCE ART INTERVENTION 11/13 - Joe Chris El Helou

 Artwork from the Textbook:

Title: The Scream Artist: Edvard Munch Message: This iconic painting is a powerful expression of anxiety and existential dread. Munch uses bold colors and distorted forms to convey a sense of psychological turmoil. The work is often interpreted as a reflection of the artist's own personal struggles and the broader anxieties of the modern age.

 

Scream by Edvard Munch 

Performance Artwork:

Artist: Marina Abramović Performance: The Artist is Present Message: In this groundbreaking performance, Abramović sat motionless for 736 hours and 30 minutes, inviting visitors to sit across from her and engage in a silent dialogue. The work explores themes of presence, time, and human connection. Abramović challenges traditional notions of the artist-audience relationship, inviting viewers to participate in a shared experience.

 

Marina Abramović in The Artist is Present 

Quotes and Responses from the Textbook Readings:

1. "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." - Edgar Degas

This quote resonates with me because it emphasizes the collaborative nature of the artistic experience. The artist's intention and the viewer's interpretation are both essential components of the artwork's meaning.

2. "The role of the artist is to make the revolution permanent." - James Baldwin

Baldwin's words highlight the power of art to inspire social change and challenge the status quo. Artists can use their work to raise awareness of important issues and provoke critical thinking.

3. "Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a window through which we can look at the world in a new way." - George Bernard Shaw

This quote speaks to the transformative power of art. Art can challenge our perceptions, evoke emotions, and offer new perspectives on the world around us.

4. "The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine." - Plato

Plato's philosophy suggests that art can be a means of connecting with something beyond ourselves and exploring the deeper meaning of existence. Art can offer a glimpse into the transcendent and inspire spiritual contemplation.

Gallery Response Essay- Patti Fasani

    “Toward A Curatorial Activism” by Dr Maura Reilly and This Is What I Know About Art by Kimberly Drew all illuminate the intersection between current cultural socio-economic realities and art. Although not all art is inherently activist, all art is a means of communication and all communication interacts with various aspects of identity and being; every story told is a thread woven into a larger cultural tapestry, and every piece of art speaks of a story. In addition, the art that exists in institutions such as museums and galleries reflect what stories are valued, what stories are considered worthy of telling, and what stories are prioritized when shaping the larger cultural narrative. In “Toward A Curatorial Activism”, Dr Maura Reilly states “As a hegemonic discourse, the current art system privileges white male creativity to the exclusion of everyone else. As hegemonies, museums perpetuate their ‘story of art’ ad infinitum via installations, exhibitions chosen, catalogues, wall labels, education material, publicity, acquisition policies and so forth, creating hermetically sealed narrative boxes into which few can penetrate.” Reilly reminds us throughout this essay, that through institutions such as the MoMA, with international weight, western art and in extension, western patriarchal ideals are prioritized at the expense of more expansive visions of art. Authors, historians and curators can counter this and enter into an “activist” identity by expanding the narrative and prioritizing art created by minority groups often othered and excluded from the “story.” In addition to museums and galleries, academic institutions also participate in centering western and male perspectives. For example, in This is What I Know About Art by Kimberly Drew she recounts an experience in class where a discussion turned into a “support circle for white guilt,” where she expressed her discontent and the professor simply told her, “If you wanted to be in a classroom with other students of color then you should not have enrolled in art history classes.” Within this statement was the acknowledgement that art history courses are western art history courses; they are white centered, and even when art made by people of color, in this case art about colonization, is discussed it is discussed through the emotions, narratives and perspectives of white students and professors. 

    Despite the colonial nature of art institutions, art is ever expanding. Drew states, “Protest is way more complicated than communicating rage. Small actions foster change. Our activism, like any other part of ourselves, develops into something bigger than a singular experience. Activism is a collective action and an investment in the lives of other people. And, as the late artist Thorntrn Dial once said, ‘If there is one thing that you can do, leave something for somebody else… You can work for somebody else’s freedom. You can leave something for somebody else’s child.’” She also goes on to explain what art activism is to her with the statement, “This is my story about loving art so much that you want to see it change for the better. This is what I know, above all.” Both of these excerpts are particularly profound to me given that they highlight the way art activism grows, through people who love art enough to seek its expansion, through people who love their humanity enough to seek its expression. The art exhibition Lente Latine/Latin Lens is an example of curatorial and art activism, reflecting both artist and curators who’s love for their craft as well as their culture is immense enough to inspire creation. Existir es Resistir, diptych by Monica Flores, a cyanotype piece on watercolor paper, is a powerful example of how the passion guiding creative expansion and experimentation is an act of resistance. It is a series of self portraits, combining the traditional nineteenth century process of cyanotyping with digital tools. In the pieces Monica Flores poses fluidly in fields, with leaves and other fauna atop of them. Existir es Resistir, diptych explores life cycles, likely represented by the circular elements. In addition, it explores the relationship between human and nature, implying that this simple act of existing organically within this relationship is a form of resistance. The dichotomy between man and nature is a consequence of colonization. Colonial ideals strive on the fallacy of dualism, through the gender binary, positioning man outside of nature, denial of the cyclical, circular nature; Existir es Resistir, diptych is an indigenous philosophy, exploring their humanity outside of the colonial confinements. 

    Historically, art is defined as a male centered field; many individuals will recite the names of several off the top of their heads if you ask them to name great painters: De Vinci, Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Caravaggio, Monet, Picasso; the only women named will often be Frida Kahlo, and if someone knows their history they might bring up Artemisia Gentileschi. However, the vast majority are taught that artistic greatness is historically male. El Diablo es Una Mujer, the archival pigment print by Lizzy Alejandro, challenges this; in the subject is a woman wearing a Vejigante Mask, which is traditionally worn by Puerto Rican men during Carnaval as a symbol for their assigned role. By depicting a woman in a masculine cultural symbol, Lizzy Alejandro challenges gendered expectations and the patriarchal standards. In addition, since the Vejigante is an inherently Puerto Rican symbol, she is not just seeking to challenge the narrative surrounding women and empower them, but seeking to empower women of color.  Alejandro’s willingness to challenge patriarchal expectations ties back to Bell Hooks’ exploration of the psychological element of patriarchy in her essay, “Understanding Patriarchy.” Hooks quotes therapist Terrence Real stating, “Psychological patriarchy is the dynamic between those qualities deemed “masculine” and “feminine” in which half of our human traits are exalted while the other half is devalued. Both men and women participate in this tortured value system. Psychological patriarchy is a ‘dance of contempt,’ a perverse form of connection that replaces true intimacy with complex, covert layers of dominance and submission, collusion and manipulation. It is the unacknowledged paradigm of relationships that has suffused Western civilization generation after generation, deforming both sexes, and destroying the passionate bond between them.” Art is inherently psychological, often coming from the intersection of the unconscious and conscious mind, and by placing a masculine symbol on a female subject, Lizzy Alejandro challenges the unconscious symbolic associations.

Monica Flores, Existir es Resistir, 2021

Lizzy Alejandro, El Diablo es una Mujer/ The Devil is a Woman, 2016

Works Cited:

Drew, Kimberly. This Is What I Know About Art. Penguin Workshop, 2020.

Hooks, Bell. “Understanding Patriarchy.” Louisville Anarchist Federation Federation, 2004, pg 4.

Reilly, Maura. “Toward A Curatorial Activism.” n.d., pg 12.