Art Question Ai Weiwei’s “Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds)
In preparation for this discussion please read the following:
Art and Activism
We have had a chance to observe how powerfully art communicates ideas and influences thinking. It makes sense that those who want to change minds and influence culture would leverage the power of imagery to do so. The historical art we have looked at so far in this course is full of examples of the wealthy and powerful using art to maintain their advantage. As we move into reading about the art of the Modern era we will see that art can also be used by the disenfranchised and disadvantaged to influence change; that is called art for activism.
Context = Why
Remember that the Context is always the “why” for any artwork, why the artist made it, why the artist chose the content they did, and why the artist chose the Form they did. In this discussion, you will be looking for the “why” behind your choice of activist art. I hope this helps you make connections between the context, content and form of an artwork, as well as a personal connection to the “why” behind it.
Explore Art Activism
In this discussion I want you to explore how art is used for activism, and find some activist art that you connect to. Please look at some of the articles below, and choose an artwork that you connect with, then follow the instructions to post your reply.
Monca Mayer, the Clothesline ProjectLinks to an external site.
Ai WeiWei Sunflower SeedsLinks to an external site.
Ai WeiWei RememberingLinks to an external site.
Minerva Cuevas Crossing the Rio BravoLinks to an external site.
Mexican MuralistsLinks to an external site.
Goya’s Disasters of WarLinks to an external site.
Self-Help Graphics Art Sin FronterasLinks to an external site.
Barbara KrugerLinks to an external site.
Uriburu: Coloration of the Grand CanalLinks to an external site.
Wojnarowicz, One Day This KidLinks to an external site.
Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Billboard of an Empty BedLinks to an external site.
Torres Garcia, Inverted AmericaLinks to an external site.
Hogue’s Crucified LandLinks to an external site.
Michele Tuffery, Corned BeefLinks to an external site.
Doris Salcedo, ShibbolethLinks to an external site.
Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People)Links to an external site.
Actipedia’s Most EffectiveLinks to an external site. – this site documents a lot of different activism campaigns, so you are welcome to explore it. Accessibility consideration: these webpages do not follow best practices for accessibility, so if that is important to you I suggest you use the other sites listed above.
Instructions – How to Complete the Assignment
Paragraph 1: Choose one of the artworks you discovered in the above links, and
share the name of the artist and the title of the artwork, and include a link or image;
explain why you chose it: What did you find interesting? How do you connect to it?
explain why you think it is important
explain what you think the artist is trying to accomplish: how are they trying to change minds or influence culture?
In paragraph 2, consider why the artist chose the Form they did:
describe the main characteristics of the Form; what are the outstanding qualities of lines, shapes, colors, light, media or composition?
how does the context of the activism influence the Form? Why did the artist chose this Form? How does it help the message of activism?
In paragraph 3, consider why the artist chose the Content they did:
describe the main characteristics of the Content; what story, message or meaning is there? Is there any symbolism, subtext, or allegory?
how does the context of the activism influence the Content? Why did the artist chose this Content? How does it help the message of activism?
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