Post 4_ Faaria

Chapter 2

 “A man learns to skate by staggering about and making a fool of himself. Indeed, he progresses in all things by resolutely making a fool of himself”

This is my favorite quote because it resonates with me personally. Being good at something doesn’t come easily; it takes many trials and errors to get where you’re going. The trials may seem overwhelming or uncomfortable, but they are required for the creative process. Once someone is over making a fool of themselves, that’s when the real change begins.

“We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world. To make injustice the only measure of our attention is to praise the Devil”

This quote is very relevant in today’s time, with everything going on with the Epstein files, ICE, immigrant distress, and so on. The world can feel like a ruthless furnace filled with pain, fear, and stress, yet we must always be stubborn to hold on to the string of hope we have left inside of us. If we are hyper-fixated on whatever is wrong, it can ultimately give more power to the suffering and hopelessness. One must ALWAYS keep a balance where you’re constantly fighting against evil but obviously not let it consume you.

Towards a Curatorial Activism:

“to misbehave, to talk back, while dedicating ourselves to disrupting the hegemonic discourse from within by showing the gaps in representation”

Talking back and misbehaving do not always mean being mean or rude. It means raising questions or awareness, speaking up, and helping people understand what’s wrong and why. This is a good way of initiating change through artists who can make sure diverse people are represented and, of course, included.

“And don’t we have an ethical responsibility to ensure that, if not the past, then our present and future are more inclusive than exclusive?”

What’s passed cannot be changed, but what is and what will be is in our hands. It is all our responsibility to be more inclusive and make sure all the diverse people are being represented and given a fair chance at everything. Inclusivity can be portrayed better in art exhibitions, which include art from diverse people instead of the age-old patterns of excluding certain groups of people.

Part 1

“to misbehave, to talk back, while dedicating ourselves to disrupting the hegemonic discourse from within by showing the gaps in representation.”

When art enters our everyday spaces, such as communities, schools, and neighborhoods, it intervenes in our fast-paced lives and prompts us to think. It makes us scratch our heads, question our beliefs, spark conversation, and rethink the social system of our society all at once, just because of art intervention. Artists can create eye-catching artworks that help people understand complex issues with the aid of imagery, symbolism, and humor. Maura Reilly's idea of misbehaving and talking back to authoritative figures really explains how art can expose various gaps in representation and inclusivity. This encourages social and political change by raising awareness and making people feel connected to the art and the issues it represents. Art intervention requires a decent amount of effort and definitely lots of thought about how it would resonate with people. It also requires one to be educated and to really research the issue at hand. Furthermore, adding the art element to it and sketching ideas. 

“And don’t we have an ethical responsibility to ensure that, if not the past, then our present and future are more inclusive than exclusive?”

Curatorial activism would be an expansion of art intervention, where art could be expanded further into exhibitions and relevant spaces that help boost representation and inclusivity. It helps give voice to the people who are often ignored and not given enough credit. This involves community engagement and collaboration among artists. When the work gets displayed to the world, the art spaces become a big tool for activism and initiate social change.

Part 2

The artist whose work resonated with me was Ali Ferzat. Being inspired by him, I want to focus on the atrocities that immigrants go through and are displaced without any consideration. They are often reduced to labels like "aliens" instead of being seen as normal humans who simply exist. Immigration rules and policies often feel like they are constantly changing, which can create uncertainty and fear for individuals trying to build stable lives. I have learned that awareness and community support are powerful tools for change, and this inspires me to think about how art can make people pause and reflect. My art intervention idea is to design a series of minimalist posters or a small zine connected to the fascist times we live in today. It would represent the myriad of problems immigrants face. I want the work to be shareable both in physical spaces and online, so it reaches many people, and I hope they think about immigrants differently.