Activism in Art
History and current examples show that art can change the world. During the Great Depression of the 30s, American artists began to address politics using their art to influence society. They had exhibitions that had both social and political themes such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, anti-lynching, anti-fascism and workers’ strikes. Since then, art has been a consistent catalyst for advocacy, promoting solidarity and preserving history that is often neglected by the mainstream. In 1935, the NAACP drew attention to lynching and encouraged the passing of a federal law banning it by using works of art. Although art alone did not eliminate lynching, artists’ work proved to be a powerful tool that gained attention and planted seeds for future struggles by being a vital organizing tool when it came to fighting injustices. In the late 1960s, artists focused nuclear disarmament among other issues. Some artists focused on poverty and homelessness. In 2000, artists in San Francisco founded an organization focused on using graphic arts to support social justice organizing. They focused on the injustice of displacement that gentrification brought about. Today, we see art as form of activism being used to protest immigration travel bands, separation of families, and women’s rights. Artists, past and present, have used art as a way to express their voice and to create change by raising awareness of acts of injustice.
One of the most recent examples of using art as a form of urban activism is the body of work titled Flint is Family by artist Latoya Ruby Frazier. We are all aware of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan that began in 2015 when reports revealed dangerous levels of lead that infiltrated residents’ homes and public buildings. Three years later in 2018, the crisis continues and will continue until 2020 when the goal of replacing all pipes is met. In 2016, artist Latoya Frazier found a way to get people’s attention to this crisis and start making and demanding change through her body of work titled Flint is Family. Frazier followed a family and documented through her photography what everyday life in Flint was like since the water crisis. She assembled her photographs into a short film accompanied by an original spoken word poem composed by a family member, a feature of the film. Frazier used her work to expose truth about the injustice that continues through the water crisis. Not only did Frazier use her work to raise awareness of this unjust issue by exposing the truth about the injustice that continues, she provides practical steps for the everyday person that when implemented can reduce the damage of the crisis.
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