Chapter 9- Johana Lira

My final idea

For my last intervention I want to continue with my previous performance from the last post called "Heartbeat", where I wanted to use stethoscopes to bypass the "language barrier". My plan is to make a "Living Rhythm" circle. This will requiere a group of people of people to either stand or sit down, placing their hands on the pulse of the pulse of  the next to them. Doing this will create  a connection  physically and emotionally. We would need our body as a primary tool to disrupt our digital heavy lives. 

Chapter 9: UTOPIA

"We then ask them to imagine some more, prompting them to continue imagining until they’ve reached a place where no further wins are possible, and there is nothing more to do. A world in which everything they’ve wanted to do has been achieved. A world in which they can if they wish retire from being an artistic activist and spend the rest of their life gardening or fishing or painting pictures of thatched cabins in the woods."

-This quote brings out the root of what we may call utopian thought. We see that activists often get so caught up in the present struggle that which they are fighting for gets lost. By painting a picture of a perfect world which in turn makes their present action almost irrelevant the author puts forth a case for a transition from react to pro active growth. It puts forth that the end game of any movement should be the achievement of that ideal state which in turn allows individuals to once again enjoy the basic pleasures in life.

"Considering ethics is always important, and sometimes the right ethical decision may be not to carry out a particular piece. But it’s important to remember that deciding to do nothing is an ethical choice too."

-This quote shows us how being neutral can often be an illusion. In artistic activism context, we often stop because we as artists fear that our work isn't "perfect" or might have unintended consequences. But with this quote it challenges us the reader to realize that by choosing silence or inaction, we are still making a moral stand. It will shift the perspective from "How do I do this perfectly?" to "What is the cost of my silence?"