( ˶˘ ³˘)♡ Chapter Four: Culture
1. "...art is also used to challenge authority and privilege, often precisely by challenging how those in power see the world. That privileged perspective is confronted when artists represent reality in different lights, showing the world from different perspectives."
As we are witness to at the moment, and have seen in the past, those who are in power control or shape the perspective of what is "true" or what stands for morally acceptable to them. In the past this could be deceptive viewpoints of a place being well-off when it's further from the truth. Artists, especially those like Goya with his work The Disasters of War and Picasso with Guernica, disrupt that supposed certainty and offer a reflection of what may really be taking place. Through their ability to create powerful narratives, ones that can push a sense of discomfort on its audience or at the very least open room for discussion, they shift how we view the reality of what's happening around us, making visible what some refuse to see and offer voices to the voiceless. Consider the many artists who have taken the time to create ICE out pieces, or even those who are keeping tabs on what is happening in Palestine and protesting - which can be a form of art as well meant to challenge those who are in support of the many wrongdoings taking place.
2. "...alt culture often ends up supporting the dominant culture as its radical style becomes raw material for the newest consumer lifestyle trends."
This a essentially an "Ouroboros", or snake eating itself. I know that those before me have experienced this, as I have and those after me will, but much of alternative culture it meant to rebel against the status quo. To push against the system and the man's restrictions in order to achieve more. Yet the power and the political voice has been continuously drained from scene after scene, delegated to being just a phase and turning something that was once a break from the mainstream to just another marketable cog in its wheel. We see celebrities and influencers parading around not just in the attire, but diluting the messages and overcharging for just a fraction of what was seen as a symbol.
(˶˃⤙˂˶) Hispanic Executive | Interview with Shaun Leonardo - Performance, Pedagogy, and Philosophy
1. "...I have witnessed young people be easily derailed when they don't see themselves in the representation of who is creating."
When experiencing anything, whether art or some other form of media like television, and there is a lack of representation, it can cause a sense of detachment and possibly lead the audience to feeling as if the experiences or skills displayed may not be meant for them. Representation and a feeling of inclusion go a long way to feeling connected to an experience, to a piece of art, or even in a space. Especially when you consider, as mentioned with art that's often curated in most spaces, that these curations are predominantly white or male centric. Proper representation helps those who don't fit into these demographics, whether young or old, feel as if they can achieve similar, or even greater, feats and skills rather than lose all ambition.
2. "Artists need to take in, to process, to decipher, to separate from the noise and create things that are beautiful and respectful to the spirit. Artists have to offer a different type of slowness to work against the speed of today."
This quote is interesting in that it was spoken not long after the pandemic, and while I do agree that most art should be about the intention of a piece and the ability to connect to it on a deeper level, I have to slightly interject that times are different. Art should be made for whatever reason the artists intends (as long as its not A.I.), however, some art made in response can be essential in a sense. Political cartoons and memes are almost made in what seems like the blink of an eye but they offer insights and perspectives to what's going on. Even fine art could become more gestural, and performance art could be created in the blink to protest. I think the process is dependent on the artists and the setting their in.
ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ♡ Performance Piece: Roll for Truth
Watching most of Shaun Leonardo's El Conquistador vs. The Invisible Man: The Steel Cage Match, led me to the idea of a performance that's reflective yet also very chaotic (in a sense). While the main inspiration, this performance would also take inspiration from other medias like role-playing games, improv (specifically my favorite: "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"), and a very familiar game to most of us: telephone. With much of what's going on in today, many of us rely on getting the news through different sources. Whether through influencers or podcasts, the news itself, family members or friends, or god knows where. The core idea is how we receive information, how it is spread and how it may cause misinformation through manipulation, distortion or chance, as well as the tension from the uncertainty and emotions that build up.
The setup would be simple with all that's needed being a 20-sided dice (a'la DnD), a couple of people in a row (about 4-5 to get enough rolls in but could be more for more chaos, lol), and a short and clear headline/statement.
ദ്ദി(•̀ ᗜ <) Instructions
⋆˚꩜｡ Pick out a current news headline, or maybe even a statement or quote that sticks out.
⋆˚꩜｡ One person is the "Source", clearly and neutrally reading out the headline.
⋆˚꩜｡ The other people are those who spread along the information.
⋆˚꩜｡ One by one, each person rolls the dice and repeats the headline in different ways based on the dice rules.
⋆˚꩜｡ As you go down the line, it should feel more chaotic, but hopefully still believable and confident just as much of the news currently is.
( •̀⤙•́ ) Dice Rules
⋆˚꩜｡ Roll 1-3: Repeat the headline wrong but confidently as a way to create a false certainty.
⋆˚꩜｡ Roll 4-6: Repeat the headline in a way that creates panic among the audience.
⋆˚꩜｡ Roll 7-9: Something we've been seeing often: Repeat the headline in a way that puts a political spin on it, in your favor.
⋆˚꩜｡ Roll 10-12: Repeat the headline in a way that's missing context. Missing information and leaves the audience questioning.
⋆˚꩜｡ Roll 13-15: Another thing we often seen regarding the news: Repeat the headline in a way that's unverified. A rumor, true or not though most often untrue.
⋆˚꩜｡ Roll 16-18: Repeat the headline in the most dehumanizing way as possible.
⋆˚꩜｡ Roll a 19: Create a conspiracy out of it. Go full on podcast bro.
⋆˚꩜｡ Roll a 20: This one is a bit lighthearted as anyone in the rpg space know that rolling a 20 is such a rarity. So if you roll a 20, create a viral moment out of the headline. Be loud, or dramatic. Make it about you.
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