What is Art Activism? Post 3 (Feb) - Nathaly Campos

 

Part 1—Activism in the community. List the 3 examples of activism in your community that we discussed in class. You can choose what you define as your community. (your university, your neighborhood, town, state)

One example at my university is that the students can put up flyers that they made on the bulletin board in each building. There are sometimes guest speakers who will come in and speak about the issues and what's currently happening within the community around us. This captures the attention of the students and staff.

The second example is in my neighborhood; during the summer, they hold a non-profit daycare. As well as holding food drives and nonprofit doctor checkups for kids with health insurance issues.

The third example of activism in my town's community is hosting donation drives and food pantries. Along with the churches and temples around here, they all come together to help low-income families and single parents. Along with campaigns to capture the mayor's attention to be more involved with solving issues.

Part 2 - Defining art activism. What is art activism? Use the Chapter 1 reading from The Art of Activism textbook and the articles linked above to complete the assignment: Choose one artwork from the readings. Research the artwork and explain who and what it is and why the work is an example of art activism. Include an image and information about this artwork in your short response on the blog.

Art activism is when people use art to speak about important issues in society. It combines creativity with action. Instead of just making art for decorations or entertainment, artists use paintings, music, films, performances, or social media to share messages about justice, equality, the environment, human rights, and more. 

Traffic Mimes in Bogota, Colombia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDzIHM23Hmg&t=23)

In 1995, Bogota was facing a chaotic traffic issue. To address this issue, the mayor, Antanas Mockus, hired about 420-500 mimes, replacing the corrupt policemen with performers who used to be publicly ridiculed to shame traffic. Mimes used hand gestures, signs, and mockery to encourage or "shame" drivers and pedestrians into better behavior, surprisingly causing traffic fatalities to drop by 50%. The initiative was part of a larger, unconventional approach to civic behavior under Mayor Mockus that transformed city culture.

Part 3: Add your quotes from the readings to your blog post. Use your quotes to help explain your chosen artwork.

1. "The mimes were so successful that other Latin American cities followed suit (Venezuela), using humor and ridicule to solve their traffic problems." pg 39.

The fact that other cities adopted this idea shows how innovative solutions can spread when they prove effective. It emphasizes that addressing problems does not always require harsher measures; sometimes, thinking outside the box can lead to lasting change.

2. "Cars and people alike ignored signs and laws, and the result was chaos, with frequent gridlock and fatal accidents."

The mention of "frequent gridlock and fatal accidents" highlights the serious consequences of this behavior. It's not just an inconvenience but a life-threatening situation; while corrupted policemen were working for the cartel, learning the victims' schedule and what street they're on caused more of a plan for murder.

3. "The shock value of the mimes’ presence, along with their appeal to citizens’ sense of humor (and their fear of ridicule), was impressively effective." 

Overall, the quote suggests that creativity, humor, and social awareness can be more effective than punishment alone. By combining surprise and entertainment with subtle pressure, the mimes were able to influence behavior in a positive and lasting way.