11/08 readings

 Chapter 3 of “The Art of Activism, Your All-Purpose Guide to Making the Impossible Possible by Steve Duncombe and Steve Lambert”

“While it’s often impossible to change the physical realities of our situations, we can change the ways in which people make sense of that reality.” [pg 95]

I agree with this quote because it is important to understand that everyone’s perceptions of the world differ depending on how society treats them. Those who are oppressed by society want change. However, individuals who benefit from the realities of the world won’t want to change it. So, it is better to showcase different perspectives through stories, art, and songs to teach people out-of-touch with reality’s issues to understand why change is essential. This is the first step to change the physical realities the chapter speaks about.

“Humor is a key element in successful artistic activism.” [ pg 112]

Not only is humor entertainment, it is a weapon. Satire, irony, and sarcasm are techniques artists use to showcase how social issues like racism, sexism, and homophobia are ridiculous to a room of people with different ideologies. Take the ACT-UP activists as an example. They were able to combine their message with humor to portray the absurdity of the opposition’s accusations towards the queer community while also spreading important information to a mass audience about the AID crisis in a passive and pleasurable-to-eyes way.

 

“They drew upon the symbolic power of girlhood while at the same time challenging it.” [pg 124]

I knew about the riot grrrl genre before reading the book, and it was really cool to see these artists being recognized for their way of protest. I love how their movement’s style wasn’t punk-masculine but feminine and girly because it showcases how women can do anything while wearing whatever they choose to please themselves. Their aesthetic did not fall victim to some feminist ideas that women have to reject femininity to be considered as breaking stereotypes. This quote perfectly captures how the riot grrrl style was able to reclaim women’s femininity into a powerful rock-and-roll message within a male-dominated industry.

Khan Academy Performance Art An Introduction

“Fluxus artists, poets, and musicians likewise challenged viewers by presenting the most mundane events—brushing teeth, making a salad, exiting the theater—as forms of art.”

It is interesting to see how artists have evolved to see the beauty in the mundane. I admire how Fluxus artists are able to create complex concepts and messages surrounding everyday life. They remind me of how film can capture mundane events as art. Filming someone’s cooking or a person’s morning routine is important if a filmmaker wants to tell a story within their piece. After reading this section of the article, I feel like Fluxus artists and filmmakers are one and the same.

“Throughout the mid-twentieth century, performance has been closely tied to the search for alternatives to established art forms, which many artists felt had become fetishized as objects of economic and cultural value.”

I agree that the art world has become a money world. It is a shame to see how masterpieces are now praised for their high price points rather than the technique, colors, and stories behind the artwork. I catch myself doing a similar thing of planning how to monetize my artistic concept and skills instead of focusing on having fun in the art forms I’ve grown into. This quote is a great reminder that economic and cultural value doesn't make good art. What is important is the message or feeling the artist is trying to convey.

Widewalls | Yoko Ono - A Groundbreaking Artist, Activist and Fighter

“The simplicity of her work may have been derided for years, but it is exactly that which makes it greatly accessible.”

This quote shows me that Yoko Ono was ahead of her time. Her “Cut a Piece” performance could have been seen in today’s fashion expos or museums as its impact is still palpable to today’s audience. She continued her pursuit of the avant-garde before it became acceptable, which took a lot of guts to do. Her projects are very inspiring to read about, and I’m glad to see that she is still going through her art journey!

“The “pre-Lennon” phase in Ono’s artworks encouraged a Zen-like dissolution of thought, and after she met the love of her life, she began shifting towards a greater campaign for peace, using not only galleries but the mass media as well.”

From this article, I could tell that Ono and Lennon’s relationship was filled with love and support for one another. They both lifted each other’s careers to a different level, which shows in Ono’s works. She changes her artistic message from dissolution to no war campaigns because, in my interpretation, she found someone to spend the rest of her life with. 

Hispanic Executive | Interview with Shaun Leonardo - Performance, Pedagogy, and Philosophy

“For a white student, particularly a young white student, seeing the mode of expression of an artist of color can shift as much of their worldview as it does for a student of color.”

I agree with Leonardo that having representation is important. I remember when I started watching YouTube, my worldview of the internet was filled with white people. It wasn’t until I ran into creators like Michelle Phan that my view of the internet expanded to show that someone who looks like me can exist in this space. Seeing or hearing about an artist of color brings me, and I’m sure other people of color, joy because these artists can share stories about my culture with an audience who are willing to learn. 

“Artists need to take in, to process, to decipher, to separate from the noise and create things that are beautiful and impactful to the spirit.”

This quote is a great reminder that art takes time. Leonardo understands the urgency of creating a piece to respond to national or international events. However, every artist is different. Conveying a powerful message within art takes research and understanding of the topic. So, many artists, like myself, need time to understand the situation ourselves before making something that represents a majority/minority’s perspective of the issue.

"Bed-in Peace"  March - May 1969

"Bed-in For Peace" in Amsterdam

"Bed-in For Peace" in Amsterdam with The press

“Bed-in for Peace” was an anti-war campaign that showcased Yoko Ono and John Lennon chilling in bed in hotels in Amsterdam and Montreal. Throughout the piece, they invited the press into their hotel rooms to admire the duo in bed while surrounded by signs that advocated for peace as a response to the Vietnam War. Ono and Lennon took advantage of the Fluxus movement’s style of performance art by using the mundane to express their message of peace. The duo used everyday life to show their audience a reality without war where couples can relax and not have to worry about their safety. While in bed, the duo answered questions the press had for them about their views on the war and their stance to end it. Because of this, many images and videos were created that showcase the press surrounding the artists aggressively as they lay in bed passively. Yoko and Lennon’s invitation staged imagery that combined the innocence of everyday life with the aggressive nature of the press prying into the duo’s private space to show their audience how the war can intrude into their peaceful lives.