The two pieces I selected at the gallery are "Comfort Is Action" and "Phantom Entanglement." These pieces caught my attention because they looked so intriguing. "Phantom Entanglement" reminded me of other artworks I might see in a gallery that have been preserved for thousands of years. It makes me think of African American history; it looks like a door into all the struggles people of color have experienced. Jaz Graf could be considered an art activist because her work is deeply rooted in history and the oppression endured by people of color. It connects to my life because my great-grandmother picked cotton and got paid for it, and now, when I see that, it reminds me how much things have changed in a short time. My great-grandmother just passed away in August 2023.
"Comfort Is Action" seemed like a relaxing piece you'd see in an old, expensive home. I say an expensive home because of the materials draped over it, the stuffed animals, and the baby, who seems to have a room to itself. After hearing the artist speak, I realized that her art can be seen as an act of activism because of how all the materials are recycled. The old things that were once considered trash were found and turned into art. Instead of letting her old art sit around, she takes her previous work apart and incorporates it into her new pieces. She enjoys repurposing these old pieces to ensure their continued use.
One quote from "The Art of Activism: Your All-Purpose Guide to Making the Impossible Possible" states, "Producing good work takes a lot of work: we need to know and expect this." To create good work, you need to keep going even when you think you've come up with a good idea. We might want to stop once we find something satisfying, but if we keep pushing, more ideas will emerge, and we can combine them to create even better work.
Another quote from "8 Artists Using Their Creativity to Drive Activism" says, "Yoko Ono's art is a universal embrace, a call for love and understanding that resonates across cultures and generations." Since her message can be internalized by her viewers, if it were turned into a meme, it could encourage people to explore their cultural roots and connect with their lost heritage.
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