Curatorial Activism & Intervention Post_Komal Das

Part 1: Curatorial Activism And Intervention

Quotes & Responses

Quote 1: "Art can disrupt the regular life and make people see what they have been taught not to see.

Response: This concept demonstrates the mechanism of art intervention in terms of interrupting the regularity and compelling viewers to address social problems that they may not realize.

Quote 2: The concept of curatorial activism involves opposition to the dominant narratives as the space is created to be seized by the voices of those who are underrepresented.

Response: This shows how exhibitions and curators can effectively lead social change through decision making on what stories to display and what stories will be accorded importance.

What is an art intervention?

An art intervention refers to a piece of artwork in a public or unexpected location that is used to disrupt the normal day operations and capture peoples attention or trigger discussions or action. It tends to cover social, political or environmental topics and make viewers rethink about their assumptions.

What can artists do to generate the message that will encourage change?

Artists inspire change by:

• With an effective visuals and symbolism.
• Relating emotional narration and actual societal concerns.
• Composing participatory, or interactive compositions.
• Putting art in areas that cannot be overlooked by people (streets, spaces in transit points, campuses)

What can processes/ habits assist in designing an art intervention strategy?

The ideas of intervention are structured with the assistance of creative processes:

• Research: be familiar with the problem and needs of the community.
• Observe: behavior, patterns of behavior, settings.
• Sketch: imagine and practice design.
• Invent: create new methods of communication of the message.
• Assess: check the fact that the message is effective and understandable.
• Critic: narrow down and enhance efficiency.
• Act: apply the work of art at the community level.
• Employee Bee: partner and support the project.

What is curatorial activism?

Curatorial activism is a purposeful display by way of exhibitions, collections as well as artistic space with the aim of opposing inequality and allowing the voices of the marginalized to be recognized. Curators are proactive in narratives to the extent they pick artists and themes that enhance societal awareness and righteousness.

What can art spaces and exhibitions do to increase art activism?

Expanding activism, art spaces expand in that they do by:

• Removing invisibility and lack of legitimacy of social problems.
• Developing information classes and lectures.
• Building community participation and involvement.
• Promoting communication between artists, viewers and activists.

Part 2: Art Intervention Idea

One social aspect I greatly believe in is energy conservation and environmental awareness in the city where individuals might not know the consequences of daily routine habits on the world around them. Driven by the notion of public awareness art and the previously mentioned visual communication intervention in the contact with energy and grid reliability, I would like to design an interactive intervention of a public art by making the energy consumption visible and personal.

The intervention that I would suggest is an interactive mural and poster campaign, which is called Power in Your Hands. The mural would have a luminous urban landscape that is run by depicted light bulbs. The community members have the option of sticking glow-sticks or stickers as energy lines around their environment, which symbolize measures such as switching off light or displugging devices or riding the bus. Besides the mural, I would also hand out posters and QR codes that would redirect them to the energy-saving strategies and sustainability efforts in the local areas like Sustainable Jersey and New Jersey Sierra Club. This initiative would be participatory, more informative, and illustrative to the audience that taking action in large groups can save energy and promote a healthier ecosystem.

Diego Rivera, Detroit Industry Murales (1932-33). Public mural emphasizing labor, community, and social awareness.