November 30 - Tactical Media Resistence

I really enjoyed "The Interventionists: Users' Manual for the Creative Disruption of Everyday Life" book. The artists in this book have taken a very creative approach to activism by using interventions that disrupt the public's normal perception and daily rountine. The infiltration of some of these artists into maintream media seems particularily interesting. People must react very aggressively if they don't understand what the artists are doing. I suppose that might be the point. I searched on youtube.com to view some of the YES MEN work. Their work seems to critique corporations and how "business" is being executed. YES MEN use satire in their performance about business and politics. The Management Leisure Suit and Breakaway Business Suit was an hysterical project in Tampere, Finland. The suit was designed for their presentation at the conference "Textile of the Future". The suit with a three-foot phallus attached came equipped with a "video interace system that allowed surveillance of employees, and a decive purported to deliver electric shocks to workers." Their approach to activism is daring, yet may be to type of activist work that needs to occur to get the message to people working in a business practice not using worker-considerate ethics or practices.


http://www.theyesmen.org/en/book


During my summers, I work with the City of Toronto, Shelter, Support and Housing, which deals with issues primarily with homelessness. I have taken a keen interest in issues of homelessness, not only in Toronto but, globally. I particularily found Lucy Orta's construction of 2002 "Body Architecture Fover D". Visually, this work or invention seems like it could work for some people who do not have a warm room or building to sleep in. I wonder how the governement would react in seeing these structures/clothing on the streets of Toronto. Orta's work is great activist work because issues of shelter and homelessness are talked about often. This work makes a very strong statement on its own and perhaps allows viewers to think about issues of homelessness in a different way. We see people in the streets of our city that we might assume are homeless or here about the issues often. People have become de-sensitzed to these issues. Even though its a major issue in the urban space there seems to be the tendency for people to turn a blind eye. I don't think Orta's work would! What a great spectacle to make people think.


http://www.studio-orta.com/artwork_fiche.php?fk=&fs=Shelter&fm=All&fd=All&of=15


http://www.studio-orta.com/artwork_fiche.php?fk=&fs=Shelter&fm=All&fd=All&of=0

November 23 - Public Interventions and Models of Collaboration

Public interventions are a new public art genre that is inspired from the avant-garde movements. Performace, theatre, process-based art seems to reference the dialogical and collaborative art practices. It seems that many artists are choosing this method of art practice because social connections are more meanignful. As an artist, architect and urban designer Adrian Blackwell finds ways in getting people involved in the artwork rather than being a passive spectator. For me, as a visual art student, I am finding that this type of art practice is especially interesting. In school we are taught traditional art practices like painting, sculpture, design, printmaking etc., but I find that the art can be narcisisstic. Of course creating objects and images is enjoyable and is also very therapeutic, but there has to be more than just the object. And yes, perhaps my artworks can inspire or provoke throught and contemplation about the world. In the end there is still that personal, one-to-one disconnection from viewer to artist or vice versa. Lately I have been attempting to create artwork that has a dialogical component to it. I don't have any images, but I will give you an example. I am facinated with writing words or names on paper, any kind of paper: newspaper, bible pages, flyers, bond paper, lined paper...anything. One day I brought some loose pages from a Christian Church hymnal that I bought for fifty cents at Value Village to a bar. I was celebrating my friend's brithday, so I took out my markers, wrote her name on one of hymnal pages and pretty much doodled around her name until it was no longer legible. A few minutes into my drawing, a man approached our table and said "you must be either really bored of their (my two friends) conversation or you're really into what you are doing." I was hoping this wasn't a cheesy pick up line. Then he asked "What are you doing?" So I explained to the man that I am obsessed with drawing people's names and doodling around them. He seemed genuinely interested in what I was doing and didn't leave our table. He was standing there so long asking me all these questions about the drawing. Finally, I said "Here. I'll make you one, but you have to talk to me while I'm doing it." He seemed really excited and so I wrote his name MICHAEL on a hymn sheet and I started to doodle. I found many things about Michael that night. Where he worked, the big accident that happened to him, his zodiac sign and a bunch of other things that I can't remember. Michael's friends started to come over and before I knew it, there were 7 people around me asking questions and me asking them questions. We were having conversations. My friends were also getting involved telling people around our table what I was doing. I met 5 interesting people that day and one person said that the conversation changed his perspective on his own life. To me, this was far more rewarding than hanging a painting I made on a wall and wonder what the viewers think. There is a disconnect in social relationships. People are often mediated my technological devices and banal daily routines. This is where dialogical art, public interventions, and collaborative art work disrupt the "normal" routine. The process of connecting with people is beautiful and can be facilitated through an artist in collaboration with its participants. I was further inspired by Grant Kester's "Coversation Pieces" book and have found a new way of approaching my art work to make it meaningful to me as well as, other people. Through my art work I hope to connect with people and have genuine connections, even if only for a few minutes.

November 16 - Gender, Sex, and AIDS in the 1980's

The idealistic campaign of fundamentalists and conservatives in the U.S. led to actions against the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1989, it seemed that art works displaying sexual imagery influenced the House and Senate to drastically cut NEA budgets. Among the many works probably in question by fundamentalists during this time, Andres Serrano and Robert Mapplethorpe were artists that created work that initiated action against the NEA. Andres Serrano's "Piss Christ" is a photograph of a crucifix submerged in the artist's urine. Serrano's image seems to critique Catholic ideologies about sexuality. Bodily fluids related to sexuality are taboo and the dominant society is not accustomed to these ideas, which are not a part of their culture.


Piss Christ
Andres Serrano
Cibachrome print mounted on,1987
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piss_Christ

50 senators and 150 representatives had contaced the NEA about its funding and it was clear that artistic freedom would be put into question. Artists protested and formed anti-censorship organizations and creative alternative spaces to create and their work. The NEA was now pressured to fund more "folk art" or local projects that were more consistent with fundamentalist values. The conservatives were having a powerful influence on what was acceptable art.

This political debate on the arts in the late 1980's to 1990's seemed to have divided the art world into "Christian" and "un-Christian" works. It is interesting how much power an image can have, enough to change policies. For democrats and fundamentalists, the arts are significant in shaping public values. The public is highly influenced by the visual culture, which the arts plays a very significant role. I suppose the Democrats have a good point in protesting against certain art works not to be funded by the NEA since funding comes from taxpayers. On the other hand, it is unfortunate that conservative and fundamentalist values become imposed upon other cultural values because of their power and dominance in society. In accordance to "no public" funding towards un-Christian art, there were also a denial of federal funding for medical abortions and safe-sex education for AIDS. It seems that there is an denial of sexuality. Artists are denied of their artistic freedom and right of speech. It is unfortunate that many artists could not obtain financial support from major funders like the NEA, but artisitic expression seems far more important than financial support. Artists that have grouped together to fight for their individuality and expression are activists for artistic freedom. Perhaps there is a fine line between what is socially acceptable and sexually explicit images may need censorship especially when it is concerning violence. I think the real issue is media literacy and for people to be aware of what they are consuming or looking at. It is easy to look at a picture and for it to elicit some kind of emotion or thought, perhaps people need to start reading images and being educated on the artist or corporate motives.


http://adsoftheworld.com/files/images/evian_mermaid.preview.jpg

This image of this Evian water advertisement seems to dehumanize women. A mermaid holds the water bottle in a seductive manner seems like a phallic symbol. Many corporate companies are not being asked to change their advertising methods, perhaps its because of the creatively executed subliminal messages which are not as blatant to the viewers. For me, this seems more deceptive and hurtful to the public, left or right-wing.

November 9 - Art as Education and Community Media

As I read Jesse Drew's "The Collective Camcorder in Art and Activism", I could not truly understand the work of artists using video as a medium. Of course, I am aware that artists use video as a medium of expression. To help me understand this reading further I searched on the internet for Paper Tiger Television video clips. I was not successful in finding Paper Tiger Television video clips, but found many Deep Dish TV clips on youtube. I was suprised how well produced and executed the videos were. It is interesting how artists and activists use the video as a method of causing awareness about a particular issue. The video clips I viewed were quite compelling and left me wanting to view more. The video clips seemed like documentaries to me. I seemed to have viewed real-life people with real-life stories to tell. There was editing, but each video seemed to have a particlar educational goal. I was more informed about some issues.

It is true that the video is a powerful medium. The media audience adapted to the media as being a major source of information and truth. Media corporations often edit images and information to communicate dominant ideologies. Video collectives or groups tend to focus on the social issues that are not being shown on commercial television. Video collectives also often have public access television within the community, which is a great way of providing an alternative to commerical television. For video artists, commerical televison was closed because their goals were not parallel to the goals of the media corporations.

Video collectives seem to focus more on content than form. Perhaps video collectives are not able to afford the high-tech equipement and have limited funding from ouside resources. With the accessibility of the internet and low-cost video editing programs, video collectives may find it easier to get their work out to the public. I suppose the struggle between the media corporations still exist, but artists always find creative ways to express their thoughts and educate the public on issues that are ignored by the media corporations.

Similar to Deep Dish TV and Paper Tiger Television is a local Toronto internet television network, Regent Park TV. Regent Park is often depicted in the news as a low-income, dangerous and ghettoized neighbourhood. I used to work in this area doing community work and these stereotypes influenced my perception about Regent Park when I started to work in the area. There were some things about the neighbourhood I was not used to, but I could not ignore the fact that there were people and families living in this area that needed help with the same things as other communities. Regent Park TV involves the neighbourhood youth in producing short films about various issues that the community faces. I find that this is a very effective tool to involve the community, build youth confidence and programs. This is activism because of the programs initiative to give voice to the youth and community of Regent Park. I think this is also activism because of the topics and issues the youth and organization choose to focus on. This program must most importantly create a sense of awareness and knowledge among the youth involved.


To view epidsodes of Regent Park TV, visit: http://www.regentpark.tv/


For more information on Deep Dish TV or Paper Tiger Television, please visit the website addreses below.


http://www.deepdishtv.org/


http://papertiger.org/

November 2 - Community Art Practices in the 1970's

Suzanne Lacy and Leslie Labowitz developed Feminist Media Strategies for Political Performances in Amelia Jones' The Feminism and Visual Culture Reader (2003). Feminist media art was developed as a response to the violence displayed in the media and in society. Feminists and activist groups protested against the glamorized violence, which often depicted women being victimized by sexual violence. Media strategies were devloped for performance artists to develop public performance events dealing with the media. There was a collaborative effort to develop combined ideas about performance, conceptual art, feminist theory, community orgainizing techniques, media analysis, and activist strategies. For artists who wanted media coverage, the feminist media strategies may be the appropriate avenue to express their work for social change.

Lacy and Labowitz suggest several useful methods in producing a planned media performance. They suggest that an artist review their goals and consider whether or not attracting media attention is appropriate because there may be other ways in which may be more useful to a particular goal. Media can also serve as a useful tool to network with other groups who have a shared concern. Also, media can provide awareness about opression to larger audiences. It is also important that a media performance can provide a voice for 'politically powerless people'. Lacy and Labowitz also suggest that artists collaborate with other organizations that may have experience and knowledge about the same issues.

This reading was very interesting and perhaps even useful for individuals who are unaware of media strategies. Lacy and Labowitz provide simple suggestions about understanding the media and how to use media strategies for social change. It was interesting to read that artists should be aware of how they are affected by the media and to pay attention to how this is done. This is an good suggestion for all people to be aware of how we consume or process images. Images in the media whether it be television, newspaper, magazines, or advertising impose ideological messages that are designed to entice the viewer. Artists can use these same strategies in generating emotional responses for the purpose of social change. The artists can facilitate education among a performance participants. Imagery is important for viewrs to particpate with it and information. Lacy and Labowitz seem to emphasize that the viewer becomes involved with the material presented to them as oppose to commanded or preached like commerical advertisements.

In Suzanne Lacy's “ The Roof is on Fire” (c. 1990) was a performance piece which was broadcasted by NBC and CNN. This project gathered around 200 innner city teenagers at the roof top of a parking garage in Oakland, California. They engaged in dialogues regarding issues that effected them. Along with the media, families, the public and the local police were invited to see and hear what the youth of Oakland youth discussed. This performance pieced provided an opportunity for the nation to be aware of issues that youth of colour were facing. This seemed to be a successful media performance, which provided awareness to the youth participating, the observers of the performance at the roof top, the media audience. This performance gave voice to youth of colour, which may have been misrepresented in the media. This also gave a chance for the youth to represent themselves.


http://www.suzannelacy.com/1990soakland.htm

October 26 - 1960's Counterculture and War Resistence

During the Vietnam war in the 1960's to 1970's many people died. The truth about the Vietnam war lead to mass protests. The visual power of art was used by protesters to express their resistence to the U.S. Government. This was the first time there was more protest art toward the U.S. Government. Dance, visual art, music, film and colour television were among the many mediums for protesters and activists to express their thoughts about the Vietnam war. The colour television brought the war to living rooms of America and further aided artists to find information about the war beyond the television news.

In the image below is the appropration of the American flag by Jasper Johns. Jasper Johns is known for his artwork with the American flag. Here, the flag is green, black and yellow, but if the viewer is to look at it long enough and then look away, the result is an after image of the red, white and blue flag. In this image there is a bullet hole in the flag. Johns' possibly commenting about the war in a more subtle way. I found this image interesting because of its indistinct and almost subliminal message. Unlike the more obvious anti-war visual art and messages, Johns' Moratorium requires the viewer to be more contemplative in the process of seeing the after image.


Jasper Johns (American, b. 1930), Moratorium, 1969. Offset photolithograph.
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/11.30/17-dissent.html

Artists were expressing in their art what was happening around them, intentional or not. Art brought artists and activist groups together. Angry Arts Week, Guerilla Art Action Group (GAAG) and Art Workers Coalition (AWC) were formed during this time of war resistence. Furthermore, artists questioned the position of museums in the war and the position of the artists' themselves. Art activists were able to collectively demand for their own rights as artists and simultaneously for humanity. Demonstrations by the AWG were staged as antiwar actions that were performative and often resulted in the participation of the public. The demonstrations took place across the country protesting against many different issues concerning the American people.

Out of all the anti-war artist demonstrations and groups came Conceptual art. Conceptual art was preferred to express "political" thoughts or issues. Conceptualism questioned the idealisation and commodification of high art and simply focused on the "idea". In previous political art, poster art were artist print editions that were purchased by the public. Various artists used their art as a method of activism and often used the profit from selling the art towards anti-war efforts.Posters turned up in newpapers, at demonstrations and on the street.

The photos below were taken by Jan van Ray during AWC and GAGG demonstrations.



http://otherthings.com/janvanraay/photos/index.html