The Art Politic

     As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, joy, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect. 

The Arts
The truth is that I have been taking the time to think about art. What is art? What is the purpose of art? To note a few examples, art can be: Paintings, drawings, songs, music, athletics, sports, dancing, writing, poetry, photography, cooking, etc. There are many forms of art. I enjoy arts. I particularly favour the arts because of my own use of arts for leisure and with workshop participants. I have seen and heard the benefits. Arts can benefit those who have suffered any type of trauma, or mind / mental health issues. The arts don't allow for the forgetting of a painful memory, but it does allow for the making of meaning for the memory. It is not tot forget and shun off the memory, but tot work with the pain, to allow for a healing avenue through the pain.
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Arts, Society, Politics
Arts can also inform societies. Many of the poets, artists created art works, that were a response to certain political events. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera were part of the social and political movements that were shaping America, particularly the communist movements. Diego's art was often political showcasing his thoughts about politics. Even Frida, in her pain and suffering saw the gift of her art to create arts. inspired by the social struggles. 
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Detroit Wall Murals, by Diego Rivera, showcasing industry and resilience. Commissioned by Henry Ford's son.

We can also think about poem's of Ezra Pound who warned of the dangers of too much greed, capitalism, corruptions, and the accumulations of more and more. A nice example is the poem by Ezra Pound, Canto XLV (Usuara).

Poems can also serve as a development for personal growth, where we learn about the experiences of others, and try to make meaning of the words through our own experience of being human. A nice example of this is the poem by Rudyard Kipling called "IF".

The Role Of The Artist
Today I wonder what is the role of the artist with respect to the political movements, or even the social issues such as: Refugees, immigration, border walls, to the climate. Can artists influence the politics of the day? I certainly think that the artist possess a capacity to influence, it may not occur within an instant, but it can happen. The beauty of the genuine, authentic artist is that he / she knows the tough financial positions of being an artist, but wants to remain true to the passion within. The artist who is concerned with social and political issues will strive for the inequalities to be seen, to be made visible, so that the awareness is raised to others. 

I wanted to share the work of Krzysztof Wodiczko. He is a Polish artist who works with large scale slide and video projections. Most of his installations are concerned with current issues such as the refugee crisis, and the Mexico / US border wall. The artist provides a lens, a way of looking at these issues that the news media cannot do. It is my hope that the work of the artists / poets reaches the politicians of our time not only to raise awareness but also to influence policy and decision making processes. With this new light, an expansion of thinking and ways of knowing are created.

For Reference: The Border Project took place in San Diego's museum of an and the Centro Cultural in Tijuana. It was situated on either side of the Mexico and US border.

Dedication: The words of this being are dedicated to all beings. Particularly those who are highly creative, I understand the up / down sides. You are loved, my thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

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