The poster of Gaza

By: Giselle, Marlon, Allan, and Bruno

                                                                         The inspiration 

                                

                                                                        By: Paula Rego                                                                     

                                                                

                                                                      Suffering in Gaza             

In the the image provided above it portrays the war going on in Palestine and how severely important that it can not go unnoticed. The image captures the emotion of vulnerability, fear, and the danger occurring from this war. A lot of people are dying and suffering from this war and it's heartbreaking. 

Group by the Chalkboard

 1. A modern day take on a piece made by the NAACP due to a recent incident in 2015, the killing of Walter Scott by a policeman.

2. 

3. Our take on this piece chooses to focus on the protect black trans women movement, which occurred in the 2010s, reaching its peak from 2016-2019, but still occurring today. Black trans woman are disproportionately hate crimed in the the United States, even one of the most prominent leaders of the LGBT movement in the United States, Marsha P Johnson, a prominent figure as well in the Stonewall Uprising, was found floating in the Hudson River. By supporting a part to a whole, like smaller marginalized groups that are targeted, bigger movements such as LGBT and BLM are able to grow. 

Silence=Death (Palestine)Jojoo,Opal,Leslie,Jordan

The number of deaths continues to rise in Palestine and there aren’t many places they could go. They have been “informed” to go to certain areas that would not be targeted yet Israel attacked them without hesitation or remorse. 

Week 2: Artworks of Activism

 

"Silence=Death" is a art collection made in 1987 meant to address how little media and political coverage the AIDs epidemic had become around this time. Tens of thousands of Americans had died to AIDs yet nothing had been said about combatting the situation. So a group of men decided to take action and make a piece that would help draw attention to this issue. They knew simplicity was the best approach and the design is just genius. The color of red draws attention right away, and the large text draws intrigue. I love this piece as while the idea is simple and effective, the piece can work for more than just the AIDs issue. There are many situations where the same concept can be applied. Thanks to how little they put into the piece, more issues that can be discussed with the same powerful imagery. A simple piece with a strong history and usage.

"An Introduction to Activist Art"

Q: "The government prohibited the exhibition of the artwork at the Salon because it could be interpreted as propaganda supporting the French Revolution."

R: I always find it funny hearing responses like that from the government since it always leads to whatever they are trying silence just becoming a stronger icon. It never works in their favor and it certainly didn't in this case. Once that knowledge came out, the public were pissed, probably just as the creator intended. In trying to make sure they covered any and all things that'd make them look bad,  they just make themselves look worse. Great work, governments.

Q: "Her artworks had a great impact and were partly responsible for changing the public opinion in favor of legalized abortions during the second referendum in 2007."

R: Hearing things related to abortions is always such a fascinating topic as it always seems to be so split, even in the modern day. The acts of feminism always seem like they push to keep this right for all women. The battle between pro-life and pro-choice has been the most back-and-forth battle as both sides had strong points and it never feels like one side wants to undermine women's rights, but it is a point that will always eventually be brought up. I have no strong stance on it myself, but the battle between both mentalities will never stop being an interesting one.

"Why Artistic Activism?"

Q: "Acknowledging that the political landscape is also a cultural landscape opens up new terrain to work upon."

R: While I would love to put a lot about this section here, this one quote is definitely a building block for their idea. Human nature is one makes things such as culture hard to ignore. Humans are drawn to the interests of the vast, and that applies to politics as well. This is why almost every circle I've seen has been complaining about prices, liberties, and choices made by the governments. The world has never been in more conflict, and there are all sorts of ways that artistic activism takes advantage of that. It uses what gets people riled up and puts them in ways that get their attention. 

Q: "Creativity is essential to good organizing."

R: This is truly something that makes artistic activism something that is so unique and memorable. Thanks to the creative processes of the human mind, this gives a near endless number of possibilities that allows activists to make such captivating imagery. The types of variety that we see in artistic activism is staggering with new ones being found each day.

"The 25 Most Influential Works of American Protest Art Since World War II"

Q: "'Manifestos don't work,' Finkelstein recently wrote. 'Sentences barely do. You need sound bites, catchphrases, crafted in plain language...'"

R: I chose this quote as not only is this my favorite piece, it also speaks of the power that this poster had. It is the embodiment of "less is more." The entire poster is as minimal as possible, using the power of slowly drawing people in. It doesn't overwhelm people, it uses what it can to increase intrigue. It worked on me and I originally had not much care for the time period where the AIDs epidemic was a major thing. However now it has intrigued me and brought light to that situation. A strong piece with strong reasoning behind it. 

Q: "'Americans,' Luna once said, 'like romance more than they like the truth.'"

R: I find the piece "The Artifact Piece" to be hilarious as it does exactly as I once thought of in the past. What if a living person just decided to sleep at a museum? James Luna answer that by doing exactly that. He laid at an exhibit and overplayed each part of why it was so important. He was mocking the entire experience, or at least feels like it to me. It's like a hilarious dream come true to learn that someone had the gall to actually do it. 

Art As Activism

From: Intro to Activist Art

Artist: Martha Rosler

"After this time, art continued to be a popular medium for activists. War often caused responses from artists and inspired Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, Martha Rosler’s series referencing the Vietnam War titled House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home, or Banksy’s spray-painted cardboard depicting a girl hugging a bomb, which he made to protest the Iraq War in 2003..."

Artist: Diego Rivera

" ...The Uprising aligns with Rivera’s own political beliefs by depicting workers and a woman with her baby in her arms fighting against the soldiers and oppression. The work is often interpreted as a symbol of class struggle and the collective resistance of workers."

From: The 25 Most Influential Works of American Protest Art Since World War II 

"A colossal 61-foot equestrian statue of Robert E. Lee has towered above Richmond, Va., since 1890. It was the first Confederate monument erected in the former capital of the Confederacy and, as of this summer, it is among the last two standing. Other memorials to those who defended slavery..."

 "...Over the past several months, activists have transformed the base of the sculpture instead, covering the marble and granite with the names of victims of police violence, protest chants, calls for compassion, revolutionary symbols and anti-police slogans in dozens of colors..."

From: 8 Artists Using Their Creativity to Drive Activism

Artist: Ghada Amer

"...Amer's journey is deeply-rooted in her experiences as a woman navigating different cultures and societies. Her art bridges divides, fostering cultural understanding and inclusivity. She tackles social issues, amplifying marginalized voices, and advocating for a more equitable world..."

Artist: Olafur Eliasson

"...Through his kaleidoscopic installations, that tend to use the natural elements such as air and water, he unravels the invisible threads binding humans and nature — reminding us of our profound interconnectedness and calling for urgent action for earth's protection..."

WEEK #2/MARLON

An Introduction to Activist Art

I think that when different situations are written to write and to give an opinion, they should be focused on the problems in which we are immersed as a society, in the same way we should think about the daily adverse situations and that if they were experienced in the past, they are a chain and a link the cal has never been broken, in the same way I chose this book because it shows endless problems, they show the true society in which we live and in this same way it explains how artists, and how the opinion of different people with daily adversities are a great example of the way in which great criticism can be made without leaving aside the central art, in the same way expressing and "drawing" in different scenarios situations that can be recognized by different groups of people and thus unravel a great change in the "system" in addition to the use of different ways of running a society, facing and breaking down each part of it,

Why artistic activism?

Art, on the other hand, tends not to have such a clear target. It’s hard to say what art is for or against; its value often lies in providing us perspective and new ways to envision our world. Its effect is often subtle and hard to measure, and confusing or contradictory messages can be layered into the work. Good art always contains a surplus of meaning: something we can’t quite describe or put our finger on, but moves us nonetheless. Its goal, if we can even use that word, is to stimulate a feeling, move us emotionally, or alter our perception. Art, equally simply stated, is an expression that generates Affect.

1.    Art is something difficult to understand but when it is understood, it shows us and makes us feel what they are trying to show in it.

The first rule of guerilla warfare is to know the terrain and use it to your advantage. Today, this doesn’t mean studying maps of the mountains of Cuba or the jungles of Vietnam. Our modern political terrain is a highly mediated landscape of signs and symbols, story and spectacle. To operate successful on this cultural topography we need to observe, analyze and respond creatively. We need to be Artistic Activists.

2.    Art activism is something with which we can look creatively at everything and understand what even the smallest thing means.

An Introduction to Activist Art

 The broad term ‘activist art’ encompasses a great variety of artists, art forms, and objectives. It takes many forms of expression such as performance, painting, graffiti, or installations. The goals of activist artworks can also vary widely. Works can challenge racism, sexism, authoritarian regimes, or war. They usually have a common dominator, which is a focus on political and social issues with the intent to change or influence public opinion by confronting people with an unjust or problematic status quo.

 

1.   Something that we will always see in all kinds of protests will be art, because it is with something that we can express what we feel and what we think.

After this time, art continued to be a popular medium for activists. War often caused responses from artists and inspired Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, Martha Rosler’s series referencing the Vietnam War titled House Beautiful: Bringing the War Home, or Banksy’s spray-painted cardboard depicting a girl hugging a bomb, which he made to protest the Iraq War in 2003. The fight for equality and feminism was and still is another popular subject of activist art. One example is the anonymous artist group called the Guerrilla Girls, who became famous in the 1980s for their feminist, activist art which publicly questioned the male-dominated and sexist art world.

2. Feminists have always shown the art movement in their protests by how they express their thoughts and all the work they do before they engage in such things.

WEEK 2

 

This picture stood out to me instantly and the most out of all of the articles. This picture is so vibrant with many colors, so it automatically draws attention to the subject. I really like how this artwork showcases and recognizes the persons death. The reason I chose this picture is because a lot of people need to know who this young black lady is and what she had to go through that unfortunately took her life. What this picture means is that this is a picture of a memorial showcased on a street which is acknowledging Brianna Taylor's life.

AN INTRODUCTION TO ACTIVIST ART

"The fight for equality and feminism was and still is another popular subject of activist art." 

This is totally true because during fighting for equality and feminism they would make a lot of art to get people attention to help get equal rights. 

"One of the most important goals of activist art is to encourage social and political change." 

During the activist art times, all of the art they produce were to promote social and political change to get people attention to take action. 

WHY ARTISTIC ACTIVISM?

"It’s hard to say what art is for or against; its value often lies in providing us perspective and new ways to envision our world."

When you see art it always has a meaning to it you just have to really look at it and see what kind of message it brings.

"Social change doesn’t just happen, it happens because people decide to make change."

You need people to make things happen and you need people that actually want to make things happen. People have to want to make a difference in order to change what they want to see happen in the world.

THE 25 INFLUENTIAL WORKS

"We discussed the silent work that art does — when it makes us brave and when it makes us believe in our collective capacity to create change." 

When people see art work, it makes them feel different feelings and causes them to sometimes want to take actions . Art work makes you reflect and think about whats going on in the world and just gives you an erg to take action.

“Sentences barely do. You need sound bites, catchphrases, crafted in plain language. The poster is exactly that, a sound bite, and vernacular to the core. The poster perfectly suits the American ear. It has a power. If you’ve ever stopped in front of one or turned your head for a second look, that power was at work.” 

When people made posters, they made sure the posters was vibrant, the words were bold, and they made sure that they had a hook to catch the reader's attention and to maybe get them to approach the poster. When your poster has these main points then it is more valuable and more likely to cause an impact.

Reading #2 - Gianni Rivera

 An Introduction to Activist Art | The Collector | by Stefanie Graf 

Quote: 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.

respond: Most times people will suffer but not tell anyone or do anything to change that and will keep suffering until they finally see what is wrong and shed light on the problem. Activist art will shed light into problems that people didnt know that were there in the first place and help them solve it so they can no longer suffer

Quote: The interests, hardships, and experiences of marginalized groups are often underrepresented or not discussed at all

Respond: Many people have amazing talents that can make breakthroughs and change the world but are often not looked much into because they are underrepresented. It is tough to get people to see what you are doing when you do not have an audience and are severely underrated.

 WHY ARTISTIC ACTIVISM? | Center for Artistic Activism

Quote: Artistic Activism is a dynamic practice combining the creative power of the arts to move us emotionally with the strategic planning of activism necessary to bring about social change.

Respond: I think what this means is that Artistic Activism is a very powerful tool that if used by the right hands it can help change the world and shape it into a better place for all people. It can inspire people and emotionally move people to the right place

Quote: It enables activists to imagine new tactics, strategies and goals to keep campaigns fresh and make them more effective.

Respond: I think this is trying to say how Artistic Activism is very creative because if you want to see real change you need to keep everything fresh and motivate people with new material because that is the only way to make your protest more effective. If you have people put in hard work and get inspired it can reach true colors and shape a new beginning for everyone

Artists Using Their Creativity to Drive Activism | Global Citizen

Quote: There’s more than one way to be an activist, and that is to say, there’s more than one way to raise your voice and speak up in the name of change

Respond: from what I am reading I think this is trying to say that anyone can be an activist and no requirement needs to be fulfilled. As long as you have a good voice, a true heart, and a reason for a better change anyone can be one

Quote: In every fight for justice there is a story to be told. Art is one of the most powerful tools we have for communicating those stories, sharing lived experiences, and fighting for global change in the mission to end extreme poverty and the systemic causes that drive it.

Respond: Every time people fight for justice and change there is a reason why this is happening there is always a story behind why people are fighting for change. This also lets us know that we don’t have just our voice but our creativity to make art. They use art to tell stories about injustice and how they want to change that so everyone can be equal. It’s a very hard mission but with tough work and a group of people you can achieve anything.

ART AS ACTIVISM POST - choose an artwork

This image tells us how life was in the past. All the men were looked at as tough, strong, and brave because they went to war and survived while the women stayed home all day being housewives. Even if the men didn't go to war they still had to go outside for jobs so they could help their families. It's like they were trying to say that women cannot take their jobs, "it's only a man's job" as some people were saying.

Week 2

In this artwork, you can see a lady sitting on a bed with her legs open. As she is holding her legs open, she looks sad due to her about to get an illegal abortion. Looking at this makes me feel sad for her because anything can happen during this process and from her surroundings, I can tell she’s not at a hospital. Also, if it were a doctor performing the procedure, she would still be nervous but not sad because she has somebody trustworthy to do it. You can tell by this portrait it’s highlighting the fear and danger of an illegal abortion. I also chose this portrait because a woman I wasn’t in her position, but I can just feel for her. Still to this day, we are being told what we should do with our bodies when they shouldn’t have a say.

 

An Introduction to Activist Art

“Activist art is a powerful tool.”

-          Like how it’s stated in the article it can “challenge racism, sexism, authoritarian regimes, or war. These are things society ignores. It can communicate and tell us about past stories or what is happening now and how we should fight for change.

“Activist art is to create awareness.”

-          A lot of people are not educated on much stuff that happens around the world. It’s either they turn a blind eye or events aren’t made known. When people look at these political and social issues through art it can open their eyes more about things and hopefully, it can help them to fight for a change to prevent another issue.

Why Artistic Activism?

“Artistic activism stimulates a culture of creativity.”

-          I agree with this quote because you would be able to produce many ideas when everybody thinking, drawing, and writing out their ideas. When you plan everything out you may produce more ideas that would help other issues that are going on.

“Artistic Activism is about the long game.”

-          People have speeches and always talking but that doesn’t mean it’s going to stick within somebody’s mind. That’s why Artistic Activism is about the long game.” With art, it would always be there, and it would always be talked about years after it was created. It will still have people wanting to keep fighting for a change year later if a change wasn’t made.

8 Artists Using Their Creativity to Drive Activism

“The world is a canvas waiting to be painted with unity”-Yoko Ono

-          I agree with Yoko the world is full of conflicts but if we all come together to fix these issues there would be unity. However, everybody trying to do their own thing instead of trying to fix the issues we have. So, the world is going to continue to be that “canvas waiting to be painted with unity.”

“Their art goes beyond reflection; it is a mirror demanding recognition, acceptance, and equality for the LGBTQI+ community.”

-          We at a century where people are coming out and showing who they are. However, many people don’t accept the LGBTQI+ community. They don’t even look at them as people which is sad. Which may make a person feel worthless. What this artist is doing is trying to make the community more seen and seen as regular people.

 

 

 

 

 Quotes and Art #2

8 Artists Using Their Creativity to Drive Activism

"With her needle and thread, she weaves intricate embroideries that defy traditional notions of femininity. It invites viewers to question and reimagine societal expectations. Her bold and vibrant paintings redefine the concept of the nude, presenting the female form as a symbol of strength and liberation"

This stood out to me in particular because it is such a simple sculpture. However it is simple sculptures like these that leave a bigger impact on a person, not just one of a specific gender but everyone. Many women can see and can be inspired to tell their own story. They might even also be inspired to change their point of view on certain social issues. Men can view this sculpture and try to begin to understand what women endure and go through. 

An Introduction to Activist Art 

"Paula Rego‘s ‘Abortion Series’ from 1998 is a fitting example of art that had a direct political impact. When a referendum to legalize abortion in Portugal failed in 1998, the artist created a series of paintings that highlighted the fear, pain, and danger of illegal abortions. Her artworks had a great impact and were partly responsible for changing public opinion in favor of legalized abortions during the second referendum in 2007".

Reading that quote and looking at the drawing made me release that the topic of abortion has been an ongoing topic for many years. Fourtounalty in Portugal some change happened due to these paintings. Unfortunately in the U.S no amount of paints could change the lives of thousands of women. 

"The anonymous group called the Guerrilla Girls consists of American female artists who challenge the sexist aspects of the art world through their activism. One of their most famous works is a bold poster asking the question . According to their survey, only five percent of the artists in the Modern Art sections of the museum are female, but 85 percent of the nudes depict women". 

Women alone are art, they should not have to be naked to be in museums, the real art is within us and our brains and how we are able to handle whatever is thrown at us. 

WHY ARTISTIC ACTIVISM?

“Activism is foreign to many people and a bit daunting: it seems to take too much commitment, too much risk, and too much time.”

Art is something that everyone should try once in a while, I am a marketing major but I enjoy learning about how it has caused changed and has influenced many generations. 

"Artistic activism is activism that doesn’t look like activism and art that doesn’t look like art."

Going back to my other qoute, maybe the reason activist try to steer away from looking like activism is because people are afraid of that. People aren't afraid of art and is something that they will put more attention to. 

8 Artists Using Their Creativity to Drive Activism

"reminding us of our profound interconnectedness and calling for urgent action for earth's protection. Each beam of light, droplet of water, or gust of wind he crafts in his captivating physical experiences serves as a catalyst for change, inviting us to embrace our role as stewards of the planet"

We are so lucky to be on this planet and be able ton enjoy all the wonderful things it gives us and sometimes humans forget that. 

"Re-energized people revitalize the institutions they work within. In this way, artistic activism is a form of organizational self-care. The purpose and play of artistic activism can reanimate “dead” cultural and civic organizations like museums, galleries, and NGOs from the inside out — but also from the outside in" creativity is infectious.

I believe what the quote is trying to say it that as humans become more passionate about something they will put more effort into it and will try to achieve a greater outcome. 

Week 2: Sheku

 

An Introduction to Activist Art 

Ali Ferzat, the daring political cartoonist from Syria, fearlessly wields his pen as a powerful weapon against oppressive regimes. In spite of the brutality he has been subjected to, Ferzat's indomitable spirit remains unyielding despite the indignation he faces. As a result of his biting cartoons, others are inspired to speak out against injustice and shed light on the atrocities committed by the Syrian government. As a result of Ferzat's art, we are reminded of the power of art in challenging oppressive systems and inspiring a brighter future to those who are silenced. The pen in his collection "A Pen of Damascus Steel" demonstrates courage and resilience, like the legendary metalwork. 

I chose this piece of artwork because it’s stood out to me. I like that it was fighting for a change. I also later found out that this artist was beaten by Syrian forces. The colorful art style also captivated me, and I could immediately tell which was the protagonist and the antagonist. I think it holds a strong political message, and that it deserves more attention.

"Over the past several months, activists have transformed the base of the sculpture( of Robert E. Lee) instead, covering the marble and granite with the names of victims of police violence, protest chants, calls for compassion, revolutionary symbols, and anti-police slogans in dozens of colors."

- I believe it's important for the community to have a way to connect. It demonstrates that these victims have not been forgotten.

"Feminists have adapted it as a crucial piece about a woman’s body,— And the idea of cutting, that you’re taking a part of a person’s clothing to take away with you — it is a very silent work, which I always liked. I always read it from a feminist perspective, of a woman being exposed and quietly letting pieces of herself be taken away."

-I think this is a interesting perspective to have, and I’ve never really thought about it this way. I find it interesting how you can learn many new things from random strangers online it’s coming to my attention that this topic isn’t top about enough and I feel as if it’s a very vulnerable topic

Why artistic Activism?

1. “As any seasoned activist can tell you, people just don’t decide to change their mind and act accordingly, they are personally moved to do so by emotionally powerful stimuli. We’re moved by affective experiences to do physical actions that result in concrete effects: Affect leads to Effect. We might think of this as Affective Effect, or perhaps, Effective Affect. Or, combined in a new word, Æffect (pronounced Aye-fect).”

- I think this is obvious that people move accordingly to emotion or stimuli, because that is how most people act nowadays. necessarily say that in a bad way, because it is good to be persuaded towards the right cause. I just mean people don’t always assess a situation first and dive in based off results.

2. Artistic Activism’s ability to escape easy categorization is a benefit in societies where protest is commonplace. Whereas traditional forms of protest, like marches, need to constantly increase in size or scope, or descend into violence, to become noticed (and newsworthy), the creative innovation at the heart of artistic activism provides something uncommon, or out of place, that can attract attention and become memorable.

-I agree with this statement, and that traditional forms of protest, like marches need to sometimes go towards drastic measures to be noticed. I also feel like graffiti can be a positive and negative thing. It’s bad when it’s disrupting the work of innocent business owners, and it’s good when spreading awareness towards a good cause..

8 Artists Using Their Creativity to Drive Activism

“With her needle and thread, she weaves intricate embroideries that defy traditional notions of femininity. It invites viewers to question and reimagine societal expectations. Her bold and vibrant paintings redefine the concept of the nude, presenting the female form as a symbol of strength and liberation.”

-I like that she challenges the norm when it comes to art I think that makes sure it stands out from regular artist. It definitely made me question the way society functions.

“Through his kaleidoscopic installations, that tend to use the natural elements such as air and water, he unravels the invisible threads binding humans and nature — reminding us of our profound interconnectedness and calling for urgent action for earth's protection. Each beam of light, droplet of water, or gust of wind he crafts in his captivating physical experiences serves as a catalyst for change, inviting us to embrace our role as stewards of the planet.”

-I didn’t care kaleidoscope and installations are really unique and captivating to the eye. He really has a way of sharing his physical experiences and urge for change in his art I think anyone would enjoy this type of art.