Art and Activism

 

Art Intervention Finals

                                                                                                              

The art of wearable activism combines the power of artistic expression with social and political activism, often using wearable objects or clothing to communicate. It is a form of artistic protest, that raises awareness, challenges social norms, and promotes dialogue on various topics. 

 

 Wearable activist art can take many forms, such as clothing with powerful slogans, symbols, or images that convey a specific social or political message. These wearables can be designed to spark conversation, provoke thought, or challenge the status quo. They give people a visible way to express their beliefs and come together. Using wearable activist art allows artists and activists to connect with a wider audience outside traditional art spaces. By integrating art into everyday life through clothing or accessories, individuals like myself become walking manifestations of our beliefs, creating opportunities for conversations and connections with others. This art form blurs the lines between art, fashion, and activism, making statements through personal style and visual performance.

     

    For my project I put together an outfit with personal symbolism and deep meanings embedded in the pieces. As an iconic fashionable artist myself everyday for me is essentially a performance, as through my outfits I promote authenticity and innovation and act as a ;public live action breathing and walking canvas, to whom ever sees me. Which is why doing this project felt natural to me and like something I had to do. As this outfit was designed with meanings. 

        

       Through the pieces I put together I wanted to show my experiences, mindset/belief, and insanity. 

Through the African beads and dashiki I show my heritage and that my culture is big in my life. As the dashiki is from SierraLeone where my family is from and the beads are from Ghana where I received my second name Asamoah meaning “Revolutionist”. After visiting Ghana and learning about Africa pre colonialism and events that took place during colonialism I’ve grown more closer to African culture and tradition and the curiosity that comes with.  Tying into why I walk with a sword as I am a descendent of the Mandingo tribe. Known to be very powerful with the swords, vast in knowledge and riches also for their skills with the drums. Also the sword is reiteration that I’m a real life vigilante and my life is a movie. Similar to Adrian Piper “ I am the Lotus” performance in 1975. Where she would dress as a man and also repeatingly say a script as she was in a movie. I believe my life is a movie which is why and dress and behave as a main character. “Performance Is useful for dramatizing what  already exists. Sometimes reality needs help” - The Art of Activism.  

       My message for the audience is how connected are you with your dressing?

What can one say about you just by looking at your outfit and what can you tell about yourself by your outfit. I reached my audience by dressing up and leaving my house. As everyone who seen me were caught by surprise and took their time processing the outfit. I received many compliments on and off campus. Also even confessions of admiration the same night. The audience engaged with my project by conversation with me about the reasoning behind the outfit, or what can they tell about me by looking at the outfit. 

    Dressing authentic and confident is very inspiring not only to myself but to others as well. As I aspire to be a musically incomparable professional performing artist, fashion icon etc important that I’m always creative and look the part as well.   “The Black Panther wore leather and berets: both communicate a message, to different audiences and in different contexts. Perhaps people associated the very  idea of activism with how we present ourselves. But style is not just about, or even primarily about, what we wear it’s about the overall image we project”(The Art of Activism). The movement and visual projection of the black panthers really inspire me as well. As they made sure to project confidence and the aliveness of the resistance. As why I aspire to project authenticity no more where you are on this earth or even out of space. Also I took inspiration from Carolee Shneeman’s eye body portfolio which she used her body as an extension of her painting to attack the psyche of the mass similar to me. 

References

Duncombe, Stephen, and Steve Lambert. The Art of Activism: Your All-Purpose Guide to Making The Impossible Possible. O/R, OR Books, 2021.

Artists/Projects of inspiration

The black panther movement

Adrian Piper- I am the lotus

Carolee Shneeman -eye body portfolio

activist hmr

  

Final Intervention - Max del Rosario

 

Intervention 2 - Karen Pachacama

 Karen Pachacama

Art 263 - 1108

Professor Cacoilo

November 28, 2023

Inmigration 

    My intervention this time is about immigration. I chose this topic because I want people to understand the struggles that immigrants face in order to find a better future and improve their standard of life. "Calm down, everyone will pass," says a man desperate to leave his country in search of a better future for himself and his family. I interviewed Luis Pachacama, who, like many others, immigrated with his family. In the interview, he will tell us about the ordeal he had to endure to reach this country. The most unfortunate aspect of this story is that he was not the only one who had to deal with such a difficult situation; his two children, ages two and ten, were also affected. Due to the circumstances in his country, both he and his children had to endure hardships that they did not deserve at such a young age.

Depending on the circumstances in their current country, many parents are considering emigrating to another country. For example, in Ecuador, many reports and news outlets have reported an unusually high number of deaths this year. The main causes of deaths this year are due to Ecuador's current president, who does not try to change the country, an excess of drugs, kidnappings, and robberies, all of which have put the country in a bad position. According to the article, insecurity in Ecuador is escalating to historic levels and is becoming a priority for the next government. It refers: "The small South American country, considered only a few years ago as one of the most peaceful in the region, is experiencing the worst insecurity crisis in its history. Police statistics reveal that between January and June of this year, 3,513 murders have been recorded. , which means an increase of 58% compared to 2022." That year the homicide rate was 26 per 100,000 inhabitants, and currently it is already at 20, with a tendency to grow, with which it is estimated that at the end of the year it would close at 40 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, becoming the highest in the country. violent in the region. Based on the book The Art of Activism refers to "It is very difficult to persuade most people to abandon their old ways to try something new." That, in my opinion, is exactly what Louis did; he realized that the life he was living in Ecuador was unworthy of the purposes and goals he had for himself and his family, and staying there was no longer an option for him. He tried to find a solution and another way to have a better life for himself and his family, which really helped him move forward. Luis has been in the country for four years, and his life has changed dramatically in that time. He began to study English in order to find a good job, and two years later he was able to find a good job as a driver in a very good company. A year later, as a result of how well he knew how to manage his skills and knowledge in his job, a new position opened up for him, and he is now the company's supervisor, and he is thankfully paid well. Today, he is awaiting the birth of his third child, and happily, after all that he has been through, he can provide a better life for his children and wife, with happiness, love, and his needs.

I decided to conduct this interview because I believe it is critical to consider the immigration issue. Although it is difficult to immigrate, those who do so with a set of goals and dreams to achieve. Prosperity and perseverance are reflected in this interview. Luis arrived with nothing and now has comfort for himself and his family, a high and decent salary to support his home, and despite the difficulties he had to overcome, he is happy and has achieved many of his goals, standards that he would probably never have achieved in his native country. “As the years carried on, I used this optimism as a shield.” page 25 Kimberly Drew in her book also expresses his optimism and reflects the desire that he had to leave a mark and succeed in his life.

To summarize, there is always calm after the storm, and it is critical to remember that everything shown today is reaped tomorrow. Nothing lasts forever, not sadness, not pain, not that hard work you despise. Finally, as advice to all immigrants, they should always remember that their dreams must be bigger than their fears.

Interview Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVNMRz0gIo8

Sources

https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/ecuador

https://elpais.com/internacional/2023-07-10/la-inseguridad-en-ecuador-escala-a-niveles-historicos-y-se-impone-como-prioridad-del-proximo-gobierno.html

Kimberly Drew Book

FINAL INTERVENTION - SUHILAH

 

(part 1) VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Wh0x9rB3zis

(part 2) INTERVIEWS AUDIO: https://youtu.be/q87-ahaMUfU

Video Description: This inspiring compilation is titled What the Media Won't Show You. I captured these videos at the multiple Palestine protests I've attended over the past 2 months, from 2022, and 2021. These eye-opening words are by Nerdeen Kiswani, Palestinian activist and founder of Within Our Lifetime (WOL), an organization whose goal is for the liberation/decolonization of Palestine and the right of return for those in refugee camps and in diaspora. The song featured in the video is "Balak" by Zeyne a Palestinian/Jordanian artist, her music is amazing and I recommend checking her out if this song is up your alley.

 

   The goal of these interviews is to objectively comment on how stereotypes perpetuate the dehumanization of the Middle East and Muslim-majority countries. It also shows the juxtaposition of Muslim vs. non-Muslim participants. injustices incurred by the West upon arab/Muslim nations have always been a priority for Muslims. The majority of us have always stayed informed and advocated on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Gaza and the West Bank since our youth. Regardless of this fact, the fight against oppression and the fight against colonialism is not an Arab issue, and it is not a Muslim issue, it is a human issue. Zionism is not political, it hasn’t been since the first Nakba. Genocide is not political, it has never been, we won’t start now. This is about humanity and greed. I implore viewers to further educate themselves beyond the Instagram reposts. As critical as it is to be voices for Gaza right now. It is equally important to research, read, and educate ourselves on the history of Palestine. Of a culture and indigenous people that have existed long before 1948. I implore viewers to educate themselves on Western influences in the Middle East. The colonial and imperialist history that has shaped the state of most Middle Eastern and African countries today, before dehumanizing cultures and nations under classifications such as “third-world”. We are all human, we need empathy and knowledge now more than ever, we have lived blindly for far too long. To be willfully ignorant is to be complicit. Stand on the right side of history.

    I became extremely emotional while creating this piece during filming and editing. That this is the world we live in. Why do we have to display the destruction, the death, the sickness, the grief, the crimes against our brothers and sisters to earn the empathy of the West? Why is it that despite these horrific images circulating on social media over the past two months, nothing has been done? Where are our so-called world leaders? This is not okay none of this is okay. I personally have fought for Palestinian liberation for years, but it wasn't until the media called us terrorists that anyone actually started paying attention and educating themselves. When will we realize that this is an institutional problem? Our country is founded on imperialism and colonialism. We excused the annihilation of indigenous tribes with the concept of "manifest destiny". We exist under the pretext of "equality" but racism and white supremacy are the foundation of the U.S. The American dream is a guise, it's a tool that the U.S. uses to perpetuate the rat race and economic segregation. Be skeptical, live mindfully, and educate yourself on the world that you live in. Future generations will question where you were and what you did during this time. The most important message we've learned in this class has been legacy from Kimberly Drew. Fight for those who come after you, create things that will exist beyond you, extend yourself! 

    The U.S. Government, your government uses your tax dollars to fund and endorse the genocide and erasure of Palestinians. We live ignorantly in the West wondering how the world got here. Wake up! It's been here! Change it, do everything in your power! How do we call ourselves human to do anything other than that? 

Inspirations + Quotes:

“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 Thornton 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” (Drew 47).

“As artistic activists, our job is to not only to fight battles within the legitimate or prescribed arenas of politics, but to expand the very idea of the political and define new terrains of struggle and change” (Duncombe, Lambert 122).

“I’m asking an individual to not only create their own associations with their lived experience but also imagine that same movement embodied by a very different person” (Soto 2022)

- Maryam (Videographer) tiktok handle: @b.rolltraveller - medium + creating an emotional connection

- Kimberly Drew (Author, Curator) - legacy

- Shaun Leonardo (Performance artist) - empathy, anti-individualism

- Shiraga Kazuo (Performance Artist) - resistance

Citations:

Drew, K. (2020). This Is What I Know About Art. Penguin.

Lambert, S. (2021). ART OF ACTIVISM: your all-purpose guide to making the impossible possible. Or Books.

Challenging Mud by Dr. Nina Horisaki-Christens

Final Intervention

 Richard Oscar

Professor Cacoilo

Activist,Interlop & Pranksters 

                                Awareness : Black Death, black protest, black progression 

The Black community has experienced many hardships throughout history, with key events influencing their story. Ahmaud Arbery, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. These historical eras have endured a lasting impact on the collective consciousness, from the devastating effects of the Black Death to the tenacious spirit of Black protest and the ongoing Black progression journey. I wanted to use this intervention to bring attention to the ongoing struggles that African Americans face. Every month for the past few years, there has been a black murder. Our people's lives were taken from them from September to January. Another battle that the Black community found itself leading was the one against social injustice and systemic racism. In the fight for equality, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s represented a sea change. As leaders in the struggle against inequality and segregation such as Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. awareness of racial discrimination increased to levels that were unheard of.  Following the death of George Floyd and the protests of other individuals, the BLM movement gained traction again. "Through the 1950s and 1960s, the civil rights movement involved tens of thousands of people and won rights for millions. The struggle of African Americans for civil rights was one of the most successful activist campaigns in U.S. history. It was also a consciously creative campaign."Following the death of George Floyd, an African American man, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by a police officer in 2020, BLM attracted a lot of media attention. The video of Floyd's death went viral, sparking protests against racial injustice and police brutality all over the world. "We never start at zero, and it's a mistake to think we create something from nothing. We are always drawing from repositories of words, images, and meanings that already exist.This is what makes changing society so hard: we are working within the very culture we are trying to change. But within even the most oppressive of societies there are pockets of counter-culture and of resistance that provide a cultural foundation-stories, songs, and institutions — upon which we can build". As part of a drug investigation, three plainclothes police officers searched Breonna Taylor's apartment late on March 13, 2020, using a "no-knock" warrant. After the officers went into her apartment, there was an altercation. On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old African American man, was shot and killed while jogging in the Satilla Shores neighborhood close to Brunswick, Georgia. There have been a number of noteworthy Black advancement-related events and developments that demonstrate the community's tenacity and activism in addition to its ongoing struggles. These are a few significant facets of Black advancement.The death of George Floyd in May 2020 prompted an international uproar and gave the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement new life. Globally, there have been demonstrations against institutionalized racism and police brutality, highlighting the critical need for racial justice.A large number of businesses and organizations came forward in public to admit systemic racism and to commit to addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion within their own structures. A few made a commitment to take specific steps, like investing in community projects, promoting Black-owned companies, and diversifying leadership."The civil rights movement  taught a generation of activists about the power of image and performance, and these lessons were passed on most immediately to the Black Power movement and groups like the Black Panther Party."Discussions concerning racial justice, police accountability, and the bond between law enforcement and the communities they serve were significantly impacted by the Michael Brown incident. It significantly contributed to the larger movement for police reform and increased public awareness of the need for structural adjustments to address the problems of racial bias and excessive force in law enforcement.The Michael Brown incident is the name given to the August 9, 2014, fatal shooting of 18-year-old African American Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, by white police officer Darren Wilson. My objective in intervening was to bring attention to and commemorate these incidents that happened over time.

• 
  

Inspirational Artist: Arthur Jafa 

The art of activism by Steve Duncombe, Steve Lambert

https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Floyd

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/michael-brown-killed-by-police-ferguson-mo

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Lives-Matter/Subsequent-protests-George-Floyd-Ahmaud-Arbery-and-Breonna-Taylor

Final Intervention-Kiara

     When you hear the phrase “plus-size” you no doubt already have an idea of the size it references, an image of a person you would deem as plus-size. When I googled “plus size shaming” Google suggested the alternative “plus-size shaping". For centuries, women’s bodies have been policed by the patriarchy and today it is no different. The creation of the term plus-size seduces its consumers with the pretense of a safe space where all curves are welcome, so long as your curves are in the right places. Although the term plus-size seems like a heartfelt attempt to include the larger-than-average person in the fashion industry, it seems more like an attempt to create revenue out of women’s bodies by censoring the flab, stretch marks, and any “unsightly abnormalities” so that they buy into the label of plus-size. It is creating a culture of false allowance where women must be in that Kardashian-like category of big lips, big butts, big boobs, flat stomachs, tiny wastes, and cellulite-free thighs. Women are not only being told that their bodies are larger than average, but they’re also being told that they need to “shape up” and have that minuscule waist and wide hips, but thin thighs and perky boobs. With more and more individuals becoming part of the plus-size community, there are little to no clothing companies marketing to this community. I have only seen plus-size bodies represented in clothing advertisements a handful of times, yet almost half of the United States is considered plus-size. Retailers are finally starting to embrace the plus size consumer and make clothes that look good on them and fit them. 

    The problem is due to the lack of advertisement, plus-sized consumers have no idea where to look. There is also the problem of plus-size consumers having to pay more for the clothes that they want versus what straight-sized consumers pay. They have been told the same lie for a very long time now that plus-size clothes cost more to consumers because of the extra material that it takes to make them. If this was the case then clothes should cost more for every single size there is. Clothes are priced the same from an XS to a XXL yet, once it becomes a 1X it is a completely different price. It takes more fabric to make an XXL compared to an XS than it does to make a 1X compared to a XXL. For the final intervention, I decided that I would take a few outfits that I have worn and create a small video-like catalog showing where I got the pieces from and how I put them together. Fashion merges us with our emotional needs, and it expresses our inner individual personality by external marks and symbols, brands, and status items. The symbolic nature of clothing can incorporate styles, brands, retailer outlets, uniforms, and also membership to certain subcultures. The meanings that these produce can contribute to an individual’s sense of who they actually are. Fashion affects both our self-concepts and our internal feelings (Tombs, 2010). This quote acts as reasoning for why I chose this as my project for the final intervention. Clothing acts as a form an expression, it's art. Putting outfits together, mixing, and matching colors to your unique liking is fun. The fun gets taken away when you have limited options. I wanted to create a project that would show plus-sized girls that there are some options. 

The majority of my inspiration for this project came from Kimberly Drew's Black Contemporary Art blog. This was used as a space to show off art by and for Black people. For my project, I created a space for Plus-size girls to be able to have some fashion and outfit inspiration, a way for them to know there are options for us. A quote on page 40 of Kimberly's "This Is What I Know About Art" says "Of the 103 artists selected for the exhibition that year, only nine were Black (Drew, 2020).” This is how I feel when I go to a mall with 50+ stores and only about 5-6 carry plus-sized clothing. 

A quote from Stephen Duncombe and Steve Lambert’s book “The Art of Activism: Your All-Purpose Guide to Making the Impossible Possible” also inspired my project. "This sublime power of art to circumvent our rational minds and affect our emotions, bodies, and even spirit, has been recognized for millennia." (Duncombe & Lambert, 2021). Art gives people the strength and creativity to express how they feel. People do this with clothing as well. If you're not in a good mood you might not put much effort into your outfit, or wear colors such as black or grey. When your mood is up you may put more effort into your appearance and wear bright colors. 

A quote from "How Memes Are Making Protest Art More Powerful" by Lizzie Fison says, "Appropriating imagery allows the artist to gain control over the content of the image (Fison, 2017)." This quote made me think about how appropriation in art provides an alternative way of expression for artists. It allows an artist to take pre-existing art and give it its own meaning and touch. The same thing with clothing, it gives a person that sense of self, that uniqueness. 

By Knesha Sneed from Kimberly Drew's Tumblr Blog 

One piece of inspirational art comes from Kimberly Drew's Black Contemporary Art Blog. As a plus-size African-American woman, I instantly fell in love with this image. Seeing this made my heart smile due to the lack of representation plus-size African-American women receive in art. The first thing that popped up in my head was white plus-sized women are usually profiting off of body positively meanwhile plus-sized black females who started the movement, starve. People tend to overlook the struggles faced being a plus-sized female. You deal with the fears of dating, being the oddball out in friends, shopping is 10 times harder, etc. I loved the representation this image brought.

Video Link:

https://youtu.be/71UMk-3qSc4?si=xAcHyxW87CxvH4wz

I also created some flyers that I'll put up in multiple places around campus. 

References

Drew, K. (2020). This Is What I Know About Art. Penguin.

Fison, L. (2017, February 7). How Memes Are Making Protest Art More Powerful. Artsy. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-memes-making-protest-art-powerful

Lambert, S. (2021). ART OF ACTIVISM: your all-purpose guide to making the impossible possible. Or Books.

Tombs, A. (2010). Do our feelings leak through the clothes we wear? Australian & New Zealand Marking Academy.

Final Intervention - Jenelle Mejia

Mini documentary: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lwRujekVxlHZgEC2P86tPALIxLxdRW3Q/view?usp=sharing

Survey: https://forms.gle/4bPf9uxHBSKgbHuz5

Zine: https://www.canva.com/design/DAF1MJs_jBQ/J0UAZcN14XlCJo-V8VEQTQ/edit?utm_content=DAF1MJs_jBQ&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

Most important photos:

Summary: 

My project was constantly changing and growing. I began by designing my own t-shirt and creating a zine. This project is very special to me because it resurrected the artist in me. In Stephen Duncombe and Steve Lambert’s book “The Art of Activism: Your All-Purpose Guide to Making the Impossible Possible”, they describe the power of art. Duncombe and Lambert explain, "This sublime power of art to circumvent our rational minds and affect our emotions, bodies, and even spirit, has been recognized for millennia." (Duncombe & Lambert, 2021). They also explain the importance of building community, “But it is people who make up those movements, and if change is to be far-reaching and sustainable, then all of us must be the movement.” (Duncombe & Lambert, 2021). I am passionate about informing people on the retail/fashion industry and helping them become conscious consumers. I love breaking down the stigmas that surround shopping at thrift stores. Working on this project was very therapeutic and helped me find some peace throughout the week. My passion stems from the ablility to develop personal style when people don’t limit themselves to fast fashion.


Once the zine was finished, I felt like my message got lost. The zine felt performative and didn’t have enough information. I decided to create a video and survey. I shared the survey and video by email and posted them on the NJCU student forum. Duncombe and Lambert explain the importance of offering different narratives, “If we really want to bring about revolutions in thinking and being we need to disrupt the stories people already have and help write new ones.” (Duncombe & Lambert, 2021). The video explains how fast fashion creates excessive amounts of waste and impacts other countries. One solution to reducing the environmental impact of fast fashion is by buying secondhand clothing. The survey was created to better understand people’s shopping habits. The questions ask people to describe what they consider while shopping. The survey results didn’t surprise me.


There is this thing about poor people wanting to look rich and I hope one day it just dies out. There is no blueprint for success but collectively we’ve decided that expensive clothing is the standard. Symbolically expensive clothing, jewelry, hair, and makeup are the standard for success. The fashion industry is elitist, fatphobic, and racist. The whole industry needs to be torn down and restructured. What I’ve learned from my job is that people don’t shop based on quality. The beauty of thrifting is that you can buy quality clothing at a quarter of the retail price. The average consumer shops based on what they see on social media. People will buy an article of clothing just because it has a brand name or is connected to an influencer/image. The average consumer can’t tell which pieces of designer clothing are real or fake. The market is flooded with knock offs that are priced at a high fashion level. Customers don’t consider where/how their clothing is made or who they’re giving their money too. Always ask questions and research the businesses you’re supporting. Most importantly, never get paid for freelance work in product. Know your worth. Your work as an artist will always be worth more than a couple pieces of clothing.


Works Cited:

Duncombe, Stephen, and Steve Lambert. The Art of Activism: Your All-Purpose Guide to Making The Impossible Possible. O/R, OR Books, 2021.

Artists/Projects:

Marina Abramovic - “I could never go back to the seclusion of the studio and be protected by the space there.” - Marina's fearlessness inspires me.

Shaun Leonardo - His artwork inspires me because it goes against the stereotypes of masculinity. 

Both of the following artists rework old clothing and make the pieces "high fashion".

Marina DeBris an Australian artist 

Daniel Silverstein a New-York-based clothing designer

Resources:

Links to Articles-

Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact in 2023 | Earth.Org

How Fast Fashion Is Destroying the Planet - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

The Impact of Fast Fashion On the Environment — PSCI (princeton.edu)

Dead white man's clothes: How fast fashion is turning parts of Ghana into toxic landfill - ABC News

How fast fashion is fuelling the fashion waste crisis in Africa - Greenpeace Africa