Art of Activism: The Beginning(ing)

 

The concept between this performance piece was one I found absolutely hilarious and one that drew me in compared to all the others. The artists behind it knew of the hilarity of their idea, and fully committed to the idea. While I do not believe this was given a name, the genius of it was astounding. These were artists that had only been in the town for a small period of time with different intentions, yet made a performance that got the attention of locals and the media, all to comment on the lack of efficiency on behalf of the local government refusing to repair the damages left in this town. The people loved it, and I'm a huge fan of it as well. Wish it had a name, or at least a stated one in the book. So, what is Art Activism? It is a proper merger between the liberties of creative minds with the capabilities to comment, address, and bring solidarity to things that effect the political climate, large or small. 

Q: "In 1955, Rosa Parks made an iconic performance of dignity and resistance by refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama." (9-10)

R: This is one of my favorite tidbits regarding this famous moment in historical history. Rosa Parks obviously wasn't the first Black American to be harassed and forced to move for a White American. However, her specific instance was a reenactment/replication of an event that occurred to a young girl called Claudette Colvin. A few months before Rosa Parks' iconic actions, Colvin had fallen victim to the same treatment, refusing to give up her seat to a white woman. If I remember correctly, the NAACP believed that not enough attention was brought to that situation, and had Rosa Parks reenact it to give this issue the proper attention it deserved. So Rosa Parks' actions were slightly more calculated than what is widely believed, but it doesn't change how historic of a moment both women had to bring forward some change.

Q: "Yes, they’d all heard a great lecture and been outraged by a set of facts, or may vividly recall their first political meeting. But what brought them to their work was usually far more personal and emotional." (17)

R: I find this to be a very amusing set of lines within the first chapter. No matter how big or great the cause, it takes a lot to actually get people invested in the project through conventional means. A lot of activists can't simply just be called on (unless they are making it for profit) to call out whatever or whoever. It takes something that triggers them on the inside to take action. People are still people, so what tickles them is what will get them to respond. It's one thing to hear that people are revolting against a company for corruption, but it's another for a person to revolt because of what a company did to them and their livelihood. Matters should have a slightly deeper personal tie to get the best of what activists and artists have. Otherwise the pieces will feel shallow or not be done at all.