Art and Politics - The Role of an Artist
Artists have been intertwined with politics ever since the first realization that image conveyed power. From the monolithic constructions of our ancestors to the photoshopped images of celebrities and models today, images - and the artists behind them - control an underestimated degree of power. For that reason, artists have found themselves with greater interconnectivity to politics as the political landscape towards art has changed and developed, and how technology has impacted artists ability to disseminate their messages through their images.
However - with that newfound ability - comes greater tension on the role of the artist. For some, political activism is the crux of their work, but others also have become inadvertent activists - as their exploration of personal themes form a basis of protest for key issues. Thus we find artists with no initial connection to politics creating works cited by some to be key insights on particular topics as we see with Chagoya - whose works increased in popularity due to a focal change on issues over time. In a sense, we begin to see the politicization of the arts transforming simple drawers and painters to political activists - or at least in our eyes.
However, is this the inevitable destiny of an artist? Are the days of decorators, painters, and sketchers gone in favor of paragons of politics? The answer is likely no. Artists can do as they please, however, they just have to realize that their work may be politicized - no matter their intent.
However - with that newfound ability - comes greater tension on the role of the artist. For some, political activism is the crux of their work, but others also have become inadvertent activists - as their exploration of personal themes form a basis of protest for key issues. Thus we find artists with no initial connection to politics creating works cited by some to be key insights on particular topics as we see with Chagoya - whose works increased in popularity due to a focal change on issues over time. In a sense, we begin to see the politicization of the arts transforming simple drawers and painters to political activists - or at least in our eyes.
However, is this the inevitable destiny of an artist? Are the days of decorators, painters, and sketchers gone in favor of paragons of politics? The answer is likely no. Artists can do as they please, however, they just have to realize that their work may be politicized - no matter their intent.