Art and Activism

One of the most important ways we can change the world for the better is through activism, which is sometimes hard to define. To me, activism is simply the action of standing up for what you know is right, and teaching those around you through example and kindness, about those values. Together, these values can and will create an impact on the world for the better. Through activism, we can leave the planet better than when we found it. A lot of people interpret activism with a negative connotation because it is implied to hold stubborn people who want change or reform without thinking of the consequences that change/reform would have. However, I think activism has a better side to it. Not all activism is protesting and yelling at government officials for some kind of reform. Even I'm against that. To me, activism is so much more. It is taking the "Captain America" approach: standing up for what you believe in at all times and in all things and in all places. Believing in values, and upholding those values even when everyone else rejects them. And then, activism can be done through poetry and art, and other creative gestures. That's what this post is about: art and activism, and how art is an expression of values, of truth, and of passion, and with such a beautiful expression, making a literal imprint on society and being phenomenal activists.

Particularly, our class has had the opportunity to search around the city to find some pretty fantastic murals and other forms of street art. I would like to talk about this piece.

This isn't simply one mural with another mural in the back. This is a whole group of murals, and some of them aren't even in the picture. This particular piece, with the moose, is painted on the side of a firearms shop. Site-specific artwork has a point unique to other gallery forms of artwork, because the location in and of itself has a critical meaning in the work. In this case, although it may be a beautiful work, its position on a firearms shop wall gives it a special and unique meaning, that it perhaps wouldn't have if it was on a canvas in a gallery. 

One of the profound impacts of art as a form of activism is that art, like poetry, holds questions, thoughts, and impressions that the mind begins to review, causing the viewer/reader/audience to use critical thinking skills to deconstruct a message of their own, without other people forcing ideas on someone like a protest or government reform. Poetry, artwork, and even movies are beautiful, intriguing, and contemplative, which causes an inevitable conversation on some important issues and discussions. I've already discussed how Cinderella and Frozen, and even Comic Con have had an influence on me and my activism, how I have become a better person through engaging in a conversation on the values, messages, and emotions that come through these things. Artwork does the same. It produces thoughtful conversations to display something about the world and how to change it. 

With that in mind, let's discuss this work's conversation. Here we have a moose being serene and calm, mentioning perhaps the tranquility of nature and the beauty of the world, but as the scene gets darker and darker and increasingly more chaotic, there is either damage, imagery, or confusion. What is in store for the future of this moose? We are unsure. Will he get killed? Will his home be destroyed? We assume something must happen because of the transformation in the piece. Then of course there is the location, because in site-specific art, the location is just as important as the work itself. On the wall of an armory, the message begins to take form. One interpretation could suggest rebellion; the very guns sold will also become the very tools to bring chaos to the forest. Is this an anti-hunting message?

Also important with location is the relationship between murals. Behind this moose is a gorgeous rendering of the Virgin Mary who stands out in her own respect as a diverse woman. Her religious beauty and detail, whether intended or not, stands high above the moose, looking on. Again, whether or not these murals were meant to be placed together, the conversation between the works automatically adds to the conversation between the works and the viewer. Here we have someone holy and sacred looking upon a beautiful form of nature and witnessing its downfall and destruction at the hands of firearms. If the mural is indeed intended to be an anti-hunting message, then the location of the Virgin mural makes that message all the more powerful.

But then there is certainly more to the story. While it is easy to point out the anti-hunting message, other arguments including the pollution of natural habitats, and the encompassing story of shifting nature, whether for better or for worse, as well as stories including the Virgin Mary, such as a strong and vibrant beating heart, and a connection to culture and people. All of these have important placement within the work's atmosphere. For example, the Virgin’s beating heart can be seen as a symbol of hope. For the group of people in the area that believe strongly in the Virgin Mary, this work gives hope through a connection, and seeing the reality of a living, breathing, heart-pumping human being, and it draws a connection not only between the believers but also any that look upon her. Because the heart is such an important detail in the work, it produces a sense, in one way, how the Virgin’s sacredness comes from her heart, and therefore brings hope to viewers, because they, too, can have a “sacred” impact, maybe even upon nature?

Both these messages, of nurturing and protecting forms of nature, and acting with the Virgin Mary as an idol, create a new-found impression of the world, and actions that reflect that new impression. That's what makes them important. Like a poem, simply attempting to understand what these works may be saying or may be revealing makes a change of thought and a change of mind. Art, including graffiti/street art can have a powerful activist impact, through imparting site-specific messages and relationships to present ideas that are sometimes difficult to accept or understand. 

Lavender's Blue

Well. Perhaps there is something you ought to know about me. I love Disney things. A lot. And that is a severe under-exaggeration. My family has been Disney fans their whole life, particularly my grandmother. So I grew up with it, and I don't regret a thing. I may know almost every word to every Disney song EVER. and I truly mean, EVER, including all those songs no one knows about like Bing Crosby's Katrina, and Darleen Carr's My Own Home. I even know Kanine Krunchies, Lack of Education, and The Phony King of England. I may even know It's a Small World in a few languages, including Swedish. But the other day, I've added a new song to that collection. Not traditionally a Disney song, but now included as one (in my mind), I have added a beautiful rendering of Lavender's Blue.

Global Citizenship? Yes, I'm coming to that. Activism? Yes, that too. But It might take me a moment to build up the background, which will probably result in a very long post, so please forgive me. That background all starts with Frozen. The movie was released November 27th, 2013. In May of 2013, I found out about the movie doing some Disney-fan-research online. Excited that there was a new princess movie in progress, I became immediately joyful and let my friends know. I then followed its release, for those eight long months, anxiously awaiting that Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Finally it came. We had night-before tickets, and we got Mexican food beforehand. And then we went to see it. Now, granted, I knew the whole story (Well, most of it. We knew that Anna was engaged to Hans at first, but ended up with Kristoff at the end, so we knew something had to happen there, but Disney actually kept the whole Hans-thing very secretive. We just assumed that Elsa fell in love with Hans :/ that was a mistake). But sitting in that theater, I knew what the story taught about. It taught about what I consider to be the values of Christmas (I absolutely love Christmas and Christmas time): Family, Courage, Faith, True Love, Hope, etc. And I knew that these were all beautiful things that I should honor and practice and pursue. Then, As soon as that Vuelie chorus played, and I saw the first snowflake on the screen, I started crying. I was already crying and the movie hadn't even started!
Snow has always been special to me, because it reminds me of Christmas, and it reminds me of those same values, When I see the snow fall, I am so happy and so joyful, because it strengthens me by reminding me of those values of courage, family, faith, love, hope, and more. And I was filled with peace as I watched that single snowflake fall from the sky. The movie continued to please me, and to this day I will declare to everyone I meet that I truly do love Frozen. But I don't love it because it was popular, I don't love it because she "didn't need a man to save her" I don't love it because it "broke the stereotype of true love's kiss" and I don't love it because it was a "cute Disney princess movie." I love it because it taught me about faith and hope and love, and because of the conversations that followed with my friends, the conversations about life. Crime and Punishment was also a large influence during this time, so we talked a lot about repentance, change, and becoming better people. As a result, I became a better person in the process. From Frozen and the conversations that followed, I became more forgiving, more kind, more loving, and more patient. I was more courageous also, to face my trials. I was so grateful for Frozen and what it did for me-- being a vehicle to my personal growth.

With that in mind, and as I continued to progress as a probable English Teaching major and English Literature minor, I had a continual heart and spirit for reading meaning into stories, be them novel, play, or movie. People ask me why I love Disney so much, and I tell them because It is a way to surround myself with good things, and strengthen myself.

And now we return back to Lavender's Blue. You might be aware that the new, live-action Cinderella came out last week. And I went to see it, by coincidence, the day it came out. I went in with very low expectations. I thought it would be entertaining, but I also thought that it would slightly ruin the original, beautiful story. But I was wrong. In fact, as of this very moment, I may even go as far as to say it is more powerful and moving than the original 1950 classic. But then again, that might be too far, I might change that quickly. Would I suggest it, though? Absolutely! It is so incredibly powerful and beautiful and moving.

I feel that it will quickly become the "new" Frozen. Because I loved Frozen so much, and because it brought me such peace and joy to stand in the theater-- a holy place, as it was fiercely transformed into. So I went back. And back. And back. I ended up seeing Frozen in theaters seven times, and collected every ticket, and cried every time. Already, Cinderella has been out a week and I've already seen it three times. I have a feeling I'm going to spend a lot of money on this movie, because this movie, too, has transformed the theater into a holy place. And just as Crime and Punishment was a powerful influence in the analyzing of Frozen, this class, the Global Citizenship Activism class, has been a strong influence in the analyzing of Cinderella. Plus, I am also preparing to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And that preparation has also been a strong influence. And, as last night proved, my dear friends and I are beginning to discuss the power, because it truly is power, of such a great movie.

So with that, I want to show a tiny glimpse of what Cinderella has meant to me, and how a song like Lavender's Blue could strengthen me when darkness closes in.To begin with, Ella's mother, before she dies, makes her promise to always have courage and be kind. An unlikely pairing of values, it has truly brought out a curiosity of the strength and relationship between them. And through it all, when Ella is faced with deep and heart-wrenching, tear-jerking trials, she is able to always come out victorious, through merely staying true to her promise to her mother-- always having courage, and always being kind.

My Beloved World

Here at the university, we had the glorious opportunity to have Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor visit and speak to us. I just wanted to take some time and talk about her wisdom and advice as we embark on our own personal lives. Many of the things she shared had a strong impression on me, and I wanted to talk about some of those main themes. I'd like to begin with a quote:

"So many people grew up with challenges, as I did. There weren't always happy things happening to me or around me. But when you look at the core of goodness within yourself- at the optimism and hope- you realize it comes from the environment you grew up in"

"My hope is that I will take the good from my experiences and extrapolate them further into areas with which I am unfamiliar..."

Ms. Sotomayor spoke strongly of finding goodness and staying true to goodness. She expresses that no one has it easy in life, and although our struggles are all different, we all struggle. But the defining characteristic of these struggles is what the do for you. Being able to rise out of struggles, and change in the process is the part that shines light upon your life, and brings you optimism and hope. The environment we come from, or the environment we live in, although it may be challenging or frustrating, we can have courage as we face them, and as we keep an open perspective, and a shifting attitude towards the positive, our minds are filled, and we rise above our challenges and our weaknesses.

I appreciated how she shared with the audience the idea that no matter what circumstance you come from, you can achieve great things. She acknowledged that difficulty can arise, and we are all blessed in different ways. But the key is being able to find the ways that you are blessed, and stay in the territory of hope. Then, you can achieve what you are determined to achieve.

She made sure that we understood that in being a judge, and being a lawyer, one of the most important things she has to do is place herself in others' shoes. However difficult it may be, she can't look at a situation from the outside, but rather see where this person is coming from, and what this person feels and why they did the things they did. From there, she uses her values and morality to determine the rest.

Then, there is the idea of staying true to yourself. She shared that you need to continually strengthen yourself, and continue to be better yourself. Rise from your challenges, strengthen yourself, surround yourself with hope and optimism, and use those to strengthen your values. The stronger person you are, the easier it becomes to help others.

Of course, she discussed that very idea of helping others. She expressed that is the true purpose of life-- to strengthen a community by helping neighbors, family, and friends. By becoming a global citizen, and making the world one dynamic community by serving all those around us-- locally, nationally, and internationally. What impressed me is that not only did she speak of the value of serving others, but she expressed it through her very example. She didn't just talk the talk-- she showed sincere care and love to the audience. She treated each question with heartfelt consideration, and treated each person with kindness and love as she addressed them. She even walked up into the stands to sit with the audience. To her, the glory of standing on a stage and giving a speech wasn't important. She wanted to interact with the people, and show that she was one of them. I was very impressed by her humility.I had the interesting perspective of having my father work with her as her medical escort on her visit here. He shared with my family exactly how humble she was, and how kindly she treated everyone she came across. She requested pictures with those that worked with her, and shook hands with everyone she met. She held conversations with those around her, and met new people-- was sincerely interested in what these new people had to share. To her, every soul was important. That, to me, is a stronger way to preach of service than giving a speech on it. Sonia Sotomayor was, through her daily actions, an activist, and she stood up for the values she believed in, and did what she knew was right. She believed in service, and she acted upon those beliefs. She truly believed in and acted upon honor and respect as she treated those around her as people with a strong individual worth.

Thank You, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, for visiting and speaking to our university!

I Have a Nightmare

Respect. Honor.

One day, they might diminish. The world somehow dwindles the value on respect and the value on honor. The value on kindness, even. It seems that now, in the quickening pace of the changing world, people pick and choose who they will be kind to. Who they will respect. Who they will honor. Who they will protect and defend. And even what for that matter. This is a nightmare that I have.

Can you picture a world where no one respects another? Where no one truly holds to values?

Well. Picture This.

A group of high school students sitting at a lunch table. They wear expensive clothes, they have expensive things. They come from well-known families. They are popular. Across the lunchroom sits a lonely kid, no one to talk to; no one to laugh with. To the popular, he looks "socially awkward," but maybe he's just like the nerds I discussed in my last post. Maybe he just doesn't know anyone to talk to; to share his passion with, yet. But the popular kids won't talk to him. Never. This kid is too weird; too awkward.

Respect. Honor.
One day, they might diminish.
This is a nightmare that I have.

Picture This.
A woman, feeling independent, feeling liberated, and who is not about to be under the rule of "any man" turns against her husband and yells at him day in and day out. Who is the one ruling in this situation? Who is the one discriminating?

Respect. Honor.
One day, they might diminish.
This is a nightmare that I have.

Picture This.
Someone, race, ethnicity, gender, nationality aside, is pushed aside while attempting to walk into a building.

Respect. Honor.
One day, they might diminish.
This is a nightmare that I have.

Picture This.

Some discuss racial groups. Some discuss gender groups. I don't care about groups. I care about people. 

But I believe in hope. Martin Luther King, Jr. Had a Dream. My nightmare doesn't have to be a nightmare. It can be a dream too. I believe in hope. I believe in the possibility of happiness, of joy, of respect, of honor, of kindness. I believe in honesty, I believe in responsibility. And I believe the world, too, can accomplish joy. Have faith, have hope.

"I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight!! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand..."

- Aragorn, Speech at the Black Gate,

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King