ARTIVISM: Art as an agent for change.
We delve into a variety of creative works with a call to action, looking at what happens when art and activism go hand in hand
©Paige Blake
“The artist, like the scientist, has a crucial role to perform in our society…See things differently, act on this vision, report the failures and successes. ”
Artivism
The term coined from the combination of ‘art’ and ‘activism gives a fresh title to an old phenomenon: art being used as a method to push social and political issues on the agenda.
There is a lack of clear definition of what categorises this genre. This type of art is often presented in public places and is made accessible to all. Artivism could also be described as socially engaged art, community art or dialogic art.
It has an ability to harbour hope in its audience, bringing a direct call to action or offering attempts at a solution to the cause. In many cases, artivism doesn’t simply just strive to describe or represent issues but most importantly it addresses the power structures needed to initiate change.
Artivism in action
Sean Yoro, known for his colossal sized murals, created a series of underwater installations to act as ‘artificial reefs’, in response to the destruction of coral life where he grew up in Oahu, Hawaii. Through the work, he wanted to demonstrate that solutions exist. Yoro believes the implantation of artificial reefs, coral farming, and laws that protect reefs, such as bans on harmful sunscreens, can go a long way toward protecting marine habitats. His installations were created through freediving techniques as opposed to using oxygen tanks, a display of human endurance from Yoro. He used an ocean-friendly paint that he developed himself for the murals, which vanished and was consumed by algae after 14 days. This transformed the painted concrete and metal structures (murals) into habitats for marine animals.
Whilst he has made some waves, Yoro’s work could be criticised for simply being a Band-Aid to a bigger issue. Though providing surrounding marine life with a new home is not going to halt the warming of oceans from climate change, the project offers a solution to a localised area in need of intervention, showing how capable one can be of initiating action.
©Tom McIntosh, Courtesy of the Photographer
The Red Rebel Brigade is the product of artists coming together to fight for the same cause. This collective identifies as an international artivist troupe, who strive to illuminate attention towards the global environmental crisis.
Since their debut appearance at the London Extinction rebellion marches, many more Red Rebel collectives have formed in major cities further afield.
©Tom McIntosh, Courtesy of the Photographer
With their red costumes, a harsh contrast against the bleak cityscapes, they have orchestrated a range of public performance pieces including staged funerals as well as ‘mass ‘die-ins’ where they captivate their audience by collapsing to the ground as a unit.
Their slow and graceful facades were reported to have contributed a calming presence at the front-line atmosphere of many XR marches, an echo of the non-violent strategies and tactics at the core of the movement itself.
Abstraction as an introduction
‘What is it about?’ Asking the inevitable question and tilting our heads when looking at contemporary art – We’ve all been there. Yet, this curiosity can be used to an advantage.
Take the work of John Sabraw for example. He creates these stunning abstract pieces in an effort to raise awareness of coal mining pollution. Using the runoff found in Ohio Rivers, Sabraw produces his own DIY pigments sourced from the oxidized waste of abandoned coal mines in the region. Whilst being involved in the direct action of remediating polluted streams, Sabraw strives to raise awareness through his artistic practice and the result is something quite special.
Though activist art often cannot take credit for eliminating the problems it is addressing entirely, these works can offer the limelight needed to push issues onto the agenda. These subtle introductions can also offer a sidestep over the ‘switch off’ effect often caused by the sometimes-paralysing hopelessness that brutal language and sensationalising tactics produce in traditional news outlets.
Activism art as a Tangible experience
‘Natural Plasticity’ is a travelling art installation, created by Californian based artists Jana Cruder and Mathre LaPenta. It features large scale, 20-30ft replicas of common single-use items, their movement echoing the flow of plastic as they make their way into ecosystems. Its unavoidable presence is intended to disrupt beauty spots, encouraging the public to engage in conversations about their plastic consumption.
Whilst its common knowledge that plastic pollution is a very pressing issue, we can be disconnected from the emotional weight of the statistics. Art can offer physical tangibility, making campaign messages more potent. The work recognises that recycling alone just isn’t working and is not enough. The call to action of this art piece pushes for disposables to be ‘re-examined and for reusables to be accepted and encouraged’. The colossal damage caused by big corporations that seem committed to choosing profit at the cost of the earth is frustrating. However, businesses must make a choice to move with the times to remain relevant. As this artistic duo encourages us to choose to ‘refuse and reuse’, it further promotes recognition that there is power to be held with the consumer.
Whilst the artists selected here demonstrate efforts in regard to the environment, there are many artists using artivism to address a huge variety of social and political issues around the world. It is important to recognise that although this art form holds an opportunity to instigate impactful change on its audience, a clear call to action is crucial or the attention captured is too easily forgotten. Nevertheless, art and activism are certainly a power couple and an influential outlet for change.
You can read more about the Red Rebel Brigade and their work here.
You can read more about Natural Plasticity campaign here.
Thank you to our in-house illustrator, Paige Blake for her lovely illustration. You can check out more of her art on her Instagram.