Journal to a Muse

Art is Political

I was browsing at Borders and saw this book:

It had provocative, funny, heartrending and mind-twisting images.
There are more examples here.


Two things then began to worry me.
1. Am I so "out of it" that I haven't noticed these messages in my environment?
2. Freedom of speech (and freedom from fear) is more illusory in the US that I dreamed.

What would your political art look like?
Some artist once said that All Art is Political. When I googled it, I came upon artists named Marc Vallen and Art Hazelwood. Vallen's blog is entitled Art for A Change.
Hazelwood gave a speech on the topic of Art and Politics in 2006 that still rings true to me.

Excerpts from Hazelwood's speech:

"Political art might always have a place but in a time of war, and in a
time of a rising police state political art becomes a necessity."
"What is needed is an engaged culture. An engaged populous. Not engaged through fear, but engaged through passion."
"And I would say finally when asked if I really think art can change the world. I will answer in all truthfulness and humility, that certainly, yes, that is exactly the point of it, to change the world."

Art Hazelwood

Read. Think. Digest. Make Art.