Over the past few years, my wife has been invited to participate in collaborative print portfolios designed to do several things. The first is really a trade of art work. The second is to make a political statement. Note, I am not an artist, nor do I pretend to be one on TV, however I have been part of the arts community as a patron for many years.
Art as activism has been around for a long time. Some historians say there is political commentary in Michelangelo’s Sistine chapel. Many artists today blend their political beliefs into the art they do. Sometimes it is blatant others it is more subtle. Most types art lend themselves to activist communication, whether it is music, dance, literature, visual, or film. Printmaking has a unique place in activism.
Traditional printmakers can typically create many images from a single plate. This type of art lends itself to relatively inexpensive artwork, and the ability to make many originals. In many countries, like Mexico, traditional prints are used in stead of mass produced posters as fliers or posters. An artist in a private workshop can produce a print, run an edition and paper the city quite quickly and inexpensively, depending on the type of prints they do.
A collaborative portfolio takes advantage of these traits and allows artists to trade artwork and get a portfolio of good art. The curator of the portfolio typically gets a few extra sets to sell and display. These portfolios usually have a theme. Sometimes these portfolios are just for fun, such as the “Dia De Los Muertos” portfolio. The artists get visibility and a set of good prints in trade for participating. The portfolio called Bestiario and Nahuales 2 is another fun one. This one can be seen at the El Paso Museum of Art until September. Others have definite political themes such as the “Pipelines and Borderlines” portfolio. The Pipelines portfolio is intended to highlight the disastrous impact that tar sand extraction and refining has on the environment. Sometimes the portfolio has a more general theme.
One that is being put together now is about using positive themes to help the environment. Rather than focusing on the terrible things people are doing to the environment, this portfolio focuses on the positive things a good environment brings. While the environmental themes are ones that I have seen the most, there are some potent themes that others have used. There is a portfolio in the works around refuges and walls.
These portfolios start with the concept. The artists are allowed to develop their own work. Depending on what particular interest the artist has, the works will take very different views. In the pipelines portfolio, some works focus on the environment itself, some focus on the economics, while others focus on the effects on humans. As often as not, the works in these portfolios are very good pieces and can stand alone. As a set, they create a powerful imagery and statements.
Art as activism has been around for a long time. Unfortunately this kind of activism rarely makes a true impact. However as the message gets out about a given issue, artists will take it on. Art is a powerful means of communication and will be around for a long time.