“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.
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.
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