Social Art-Rising: Art & Social Movements | PoachedMag

Supporting Movember has got us thinking: How can the arts help social movements and is there even a relationship between art and social movements to begin with?

Of course, ?arts? here, refers to more than just fine arts. It refers to all creative activities including theatre, film, photography, music, graphic design and street art. Think Banksy; Think Singapore?s very own Sticker Lady with her ?My grandfather road? stickers.

There is always a political slant to art, simply because it is an expression of the artist, and humankind is not known to be neutral. Everyone has their own stand and opinions about things. Even apathy counts as taking a stand ? an active choice to be ignorant and not have a part, for whatever reasons.

Art is self-referential and reflexive. More often than not, the underlying message of a work of art is a comment on its environment. Usually, a work of art will have nostalgic hints of what the society or environment used to be, what it has become (either for better or worse), and it will also convey the artist?s prediction of what it will be like in the future.

This dialogue between the past, the present and the future is usually sparked off by a problem. If we really think about it, art is like a problem-solving exercise. In 18th Century fine art, the problem was trying to capture a beautiful moment. Solution? Paint it,since cameras were not invented then. In abstract and avant-garde art, the problem was finding a way to express emotions and feelings, and the solution lies in their composition and brushstrokes. In film and theatre, it becomes straight-forward, the plot begins with a problem, which gets solved by the end of it, although granted, not all the time. In music, the song is usually inspired by some sort of problem: a broken heart, a long-lost love, or just simply teenage angst. Photography, specifically, photojournalism, presents the problem and it invites the audience to think of a solution.

If art is really about problem-solving, it seems to ring a bell with social movements and the changes they hope to evoke, no?

With the same framework of commenting on social issues, hoping to draw attention to them and perhaps eventually solve them, surely the coming together of art and social movements will prove to be a very effective campaign ? just think of all the propaganda posters in history and how effective they were.

There is no denying that art is a very effective and moving medium, compared to chunks of texts and manifestos. In our fast-paced society, visuals are more captivating than words because it is easier to digest and it leaves a more lasting impression. Works of art, be it a short film, photograph or visual graphic are also more likely to go viral with the aid of sites like Youtube, Facebook and Tumblr, creating hype, buzz and talking points.

Essentially, what the arts does, is to help make the social movement more palatable, and perhaps even consumable. Let?s face it, we are all superficial beings to some extent. If a campaign is full of clever and witty ideas, with a set of pretty paraphernalia to accompany it, people are more likely to buy into the campaign.

Sounds a little like capitalism? Well, we are all selling some kind of product at the end of the day. The important thing is to capture the hearts of the public, hoping that they will remember the problems that these social movements have surface and pray that some day, they will do something about it.

Image Credit: Flickr (redcountess)?

Source: http://poachedmag.com/2012/11/28/7013/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=7013

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