Art and Social Change


 

This week, we were lucky enough to attend a webinar hosted by Xtine Burroughs about her new book.  Additionally, the webinar featured several other guests who had helped contribute to this book.  Xtine estimated that around 10% of the contributors to her book were present in the webinar.  Her book was titled Art as Social Practice, focusing on technologies that created change.  Different artists contributed to the book about specific ways that they engaged the community and enacted change through their art.  

Afterwards, we were treated to a Q and A session with Xtine.  There were two questions that I found particularly memorable. The first question was about the process behind art based research.  Xtine expanded on this ever evolving definition, how essential creativity through play and synthesis were to the formation and implementation of ideas.   I especially liked how she emphasized the importance of play.  It felt like such a light word - highlighting how fun and lighthearted this process could be.  It was a really nice way of combining the more loose and fluid practices of art with the rigid structure of research. I think it was especially relevant considering how many STEM majors we have in our class. 

My next favorite question was about the negative connotations associated with the word “obsession”.  Xtine completely reframed this word and what it means.  She felt that obsession was intrinsic for artists, consumed with the need to transfer their idea into being. She wants to work with people who are obsessed; who do not always understand exactly why they are creating something but are certain that they need to do so.  She felt that most artists were actually obsessed with their craft and this is what made them so great.  I loved hearing about this kind of passion and energy and drive.  I want to one day be so obsessed with something that I can’t get it out of my head, my obsession fueling my research into positive change.  

In terms of technologies discussed, my favorite example that we talked about was the One Breath Poem.   This poem is short enough that it can be read in one breath; Xtine invited us to all upload our One Breath Poems into a phone bank that anyone could access.  We were divided into groups and then asked to create poems around a central theme.  My group’s theme was “Stress”.  We shared our poems in the Sculpture Garden; it was so cool being able to create and share and collaborate in this space.  As a South Campus Major, this creative writing experience was very different from anything I normally do in my classes. My favorite poem that got shared was written about the Big Blue Bus.   I am definitely planning to call into the phone bank to hear some of the other One Breath Poems that were uploaded!  I also want to look into Dial a Poem by John Giorno and King’s Cross Phone In by Heath Bunting; the One Breath Poem website cites these previous works as inspiration for their current project, One Breath Poem: Message for a Revolution

After class, I was curious about the kind of artwork and technology that other contributors to the book are involved in.  I found information about Siddharth Ramakrishnan, an artist and neuroscientist who has created exhibits that focus on things like biomimicry.  I also found information on Praba Pilar; her art includes invisible theatre, which engages audience members into the theatre production without their knowledge.  The last artist I found particularly interesting was Harrell Fletcher.  I found information about a project he worked on called To a Lifetime of Meaningful Encounters which highlighted the unique narratives of townspeople living in Le Cateau-Cambresis, the birthplace of Matisse.  

Each of the people who contributed to Xtine’s book had used their art to invoke reflection and challenge people’s current perspectives on the world.  I can’t wait to read parts of the book! 



 

Some examples of art from Praba Pilar’s website (https://www.prabapilar.com/

Photo from a Lifetime of Meaningful Encounters Exhibit (http://www.harrellfletcher.com/wp-content/gallery/lifetime-of-meaningful-france/Exhibition_Calisch_July2014-3.jpeg

 

Works Cited: 

 

  1. Ferreira, Letícia. “One Breath Poem.” Letícia Ferreira (blog), September 10, 2020. https://leticiaferreira.net/2020/09/10/one-breath-poem/.

  2. “Information | Harrell Fletcher.” Accessed May 22, 2022. http://www.harrellfletcher.com/cv.

  3. “Invisible Theatre | Theatrical Form | Britannica.” Accessed May 22, 2022. https://www.britannica.com/art/Invisible-Theatre.

  4. “Praba Pilar - CCA People Directory.” Accessed May 22, 2022. https://portal.cca.edu/people/prabapilar/.

  5. “Siddharth Ramakrishnan | University of Puget Sound.” Accessed May 22, 2022. https://www.pugetsound.edu/directory/siddharth-ramakrishnan.

  6. “To a Lifetime of Meaningful Encounters | Harrell Fletcher.” Accessed May 22, 2022. http://www.harrellfletcher.com/projects/806.