Examples of social commentary/advocacy art?

[Dork]

I have a few months free this year and am considering building a large statue with exhibits that talk about a subject that isn't getting a lot of notice. I'm worried that it will be a little too blunt or preachy and will turn people off. Sorry for being vague about the subject matter

I recall seeing lots of anti-Bush and anti-commercialism art in the past, but not much this year and in general not much on other subjects. Can anyone help me out with examples of other artwork intended to convey an opinion, ones that worked and ones that didn't?

[gerbilstink]

you mean you did not get enough anti bush art work out there???

personally i was relieved not to feel sick to my stomach out on the playa by bush (and not the female kind) and just as we'd all come back home, we witness yet another revoltingly shitty response to a most heartwrenching loss.

i'm thinking in terms of a pool of vomit in the likeness of the shmuck... maybe on the sidewalks of DC!

[mizshan]

there was a dome this year on the esplanade between i think 8 & 8:30 that had a pretty great sound collage of tweaked bushisms emanating from a white dome... Bush's voice saying the things that he really means, i.e. "America will not rest until we have brought corporate dominance to Iraq"....well I can't really remember the exact phrases but I thought it worked well. I don't know if there was a visual component to it, or who did it, though. Good luck with your piece.

[Dork]

I either somehow missed the anti-bush stuff this year or had a mental block that didn't allow me to see it. I remember more in previous years.

Don't worry, my subject is one that has been in the media a bit, but rarely from this perspective.

[spectabillis]

Anyone know the name of the esplanade based camp with the video walls, somewhere between 9 and 6?

Had some social commentary material.

[olivia]

There was a screen displaying PETA type reels, animal abuse, etc. They were very disarming, I could have done without seeing them. After all, I am already vegan.

All the political "art" that people bring out there, it's preaching to the choir in the most extreme sense. We already know Bush is bad. We don't need to hear it AGAIN.

[warpcosm]

there was a GIANT mock up of mcDonalds,
that dissoved into a grey water collection bucket.
mcDonalds is going down, baby....
going down on G.W.Bush!!!!!!!!!!
lovely oral fixation.

[Dork]

Thanks for the info. I definitely don't want to gross people out or preach to the choir.

What I had in mind was autism advocacy, which would probably be new to most people. There's a lot of misunderstandings out there that I'd love to help correct and put a positive spin on. Most of what's floating around the media now is negative and degrading.

From a distance it would just look like a cool statue, you'd have to go inside to find out what it's about.

[theCryptofishist]

Wow, if you can pull this off I'd like to see it. The "e-ticket" at the psychiatric convention in Moscone Center a couple of years ago was a subjective experience of being schizophrenic that involved getting on a bus and hearing voices--or so I understand. this hits a certain nail on the head for me right now, and not just because I read the 50 pages of Thinking in Pictures last month.

The question is--could you do this without and explination and still have it be good. Then how do you tell people that this is or was the experience.

[Dork]

Wow, if you can pull this off I'd like to see it. The "e-ticket" at the psychiatric convention in Moscone Center a couple of years ago was a subjective experience of being schizophrenic that involved getting on a bus and hearing voices--or so I understand. this hits a certain nail on the head for me right now, and not just because I read the 50 pages of Thinking in Pictures last month.

The question is--could you do this without and explination and still have it be good. Then how do you tell people that this is or was the experience.

I had a few things in mind similar to the schizophrenia thing, but those would probably only work if there's someone on hand to run them. I don't know how I would tell people to try something like that without first telling people why. Is that what you mean by "without explanation" ? The rest of the time there would be stuff to read, pictures, etc.

The statue itself would hopefully stand on its own and evoke emotions so even if people didn't venture inside or simply didn't care it would still be a positive addition to the playa.

[theCryptofishist]

I don't know how I would tell people to try something like that without first telling people why. Is that what you mean by "without explanation" ? The rest of the time there would be stuff to read, pictures, etc.

Pretty much. I believe that you should make the experience inherently interesting so that they can walk away from teh "moral" or be blown by it. Hm. how will you manage the over stimulation from touch?

[Dork]

Pretty much. I believe that you should make the experience inherently interesting so that they can walk away from teh "moral" or be blown by it. Hm. how will you manage the over stimulation from touch?

Good point, I will definitely try to make the simulators interesting even without the advocacy context.

The only touch thing I had in mind was a "wool sweater simulator" - a jacket that would continually poke and possibly shock the wearer. It might take some work to make it effective without actually harming anyone I haven't figured out how to demonstrate how soft touches can be painful. The whole concept seems silly if you haven't experienced it. Over-stimulation and meltdowns in general are difficult to describe.

[theCryptofishist]

I've been able to read about it and not get the visceral feel ,but understand how this can be very disruptive. Of course, I have the advantage of knowing just how amazingly "off" minds can get...