Here's what I have so far of my home project! Thus far, I have only gridded up my paper and done my pencil sketch. I am considering whether or not to use pen or charcoal.
The two readings this marking period were introductory readings to the overarching theme, protest art, including the art of Carrie Reichardt and the Guerrilla Girls. Both pieces bring up an important concept: disobedience. In the context of protest art, disobedience is often standing up for what the artist believes is right, even though it goes against societal norms.
The main question that this reading inspired was "why had I not heard of the Guerrilla Girls before?" Their art is delightfully layered: it's art that protests the unfairness of art. It is also very simplistic and accessible - the point gets across. And again, the art from the Guerrilla Girls does not do what lots of feminist art does, which is appeal to only other feminists; instead, it wants to "be subversive, to transform our audience, to confront them with some disarming statements, backed up by facts — and great visuals." The other questions that the reading inspired were about the statistics listed - is it really true that female artists make only 1/3 what male artists do? If so, how did I not know this? I also deeply appreciated the other piece, "CRAFTIVISM: THE DO-IT-YOURSELF PRACTICE OF PROTEST DESIGN." I was interested by the concept of doing art for its effectiveness in making a point as well as it's visual appeal; we are told this in a different way when we are told to have content. I was especially intrigued by the work by the the Eclectic Electric Collective in the Barcelona riots with the inflatable cobblestones; they were both useful and symbolic in a way that is very appealing. The two readings essentially have the same theme: the power of dissidence. Both pieces emphasize the "effectiveness of an object" in making a statement, and making a change. They both put into perspective the issues of society using palatable material, be it satirical posters or ceramic decor. Protest art as a trend is not going to die; there will always be injustice, and there will always be angry artists. Sadly, many of the complaints made by the Guerrilla Girls in 1985 could still be made today; a large proportion of artists featured in museums are male. Of course, as time goes on and female artists become more empowered this may alter, but the statistics are still shocking. |
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June 2017
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