What is Art Activism? - Emmanuel Orellana Monsalve

 WHAT IS ART ACTIVISM?

Art Activism is practice/expression that inspires social or political change. These activities often challenge narratives and advocate important situations for justice. Art Activism also merges artistic practice with activism, using visual, performance, or multimedia art to engage audiences and provoke meaningful dialogue.

The art work "A Dallas Drinking Fountain" represents a relic of segregation by transforming it into an interactive monument to civil rights struggles. This piece of art requires and makes viewers watch historical footage of protest before being able to drink the water. The artwork enforces the physical engagement with the past events and highlights the important impact of racial injustice. This work is a perfect example of creative inventions to provoke dialogue, which makes sure that history is still apart of public consciousness.

WHY ARTISTIC ACTIVISM? | Center for Artistic Activism

Q1: "Slipping under the radar, artistic activism is not identified as “politics” to authorities while still being able to communicate a social message to the public."

R1: When reading this quote this does make me realize how some arts or pieces may not be popular or well know. However,  even if these pieces may not be popular as long as people acknowledge share them, people will still be able to share problems that need to be noticed.

Q2: "“I’m not political,” is a phrase one hears often; it’s a rare person, however, that doesn’t express themself through some form of creativity."

R2: I found this statement very interesting due to the fact that many people around the world, may call themself "not political" due to not expressing their views on very open and hug problems. However, these people themselves would express their problems with smaller problems.

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

Q1: "Another important goal of activist art is to create awareness of existing political and social issues. 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"

R1: This quote/line made me think how even if people make great art and try to express an important message. People will ignore it whether is an important cause or problem that people need to talk about. Which makes me sad that the amount of work someone puts can and will go to waste if people don't stop and look on what the art is talking about.

Q2: "With the help of these horses, they use different crowd control techniques that they learned at the police academy such as making people move in certain directions or separating people into groups. The Cuban artist said that it was important to her that the audience was unaware of the fact that the policemen’s actions were part of the work of art.

R2: This line made me realized how many things go in affect or is planned to express and show how far someone will go to express the problems they want to tell people and knowledge them about. Even if it may confuse them, these acts can really show that you can do anything to express what you want to tell others.

R2: This quote/line made me realized even if there are a lot of people showing and making activism art. Behind those voices people are afraid that they will be silenced and their voice or opinion will never be heard.

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

Q1: “I have always wanted my art to service my people — to reflect us, to relate to us, to stimulate us, to make us aware of our potential,”

R1: This line/quote that was stated during this article made me very happy that people are expressing that they enjoy making art for people that allow other to express and talk about to people in their community.

Q2: "The task of educating the public about the crisis was largely left to activists and artists like Wojnarowicz. “I think what I really fear about death is the silencing of my voice,” he once said. “I feel this incredible pressure to leave something of myself behind.”"

R2: This quote/line made me realized even if there are a lot of people showing and making activism art. Behind those voices people are afraid that they will be silenced and their voice or opinion will never be heard.