Activism through Art Writing Assignment
Michael
Rakowitz
The
paraSite project is this
inflatable shelter that attaches to the air vents from outside apartment
buildings. These portable tents are made from plastic bags and tape – it's
simple and can be modified to the homeless person's needs. Michael Rakowitz
made a few prototypes and gave it to homeless people to give it a try.
Personally, I think it's a brilliant idea that should of have been continued
because this way people are not sleeping in the cold. People usually want to
contribute to their community – this is the best way because it's free and
nobody is being bothered by anyone. The only issue is private properties; however,
it should be modified and apartment owners should consider this a donation this
way they could put it in their taxes which will repay them. The paraSite was done from the kindness of
his heart. I believe he should of have continued this project and get the
necessary permissions for the homeless to use these vents.
The Climate Control project is a contribution of different inventions that
has been invented by Michael Rakowitz. He men maintain the climate for museums
and exhibitions, to preserve the art piece. Art pieces such as paintings and
prints usually fade as years go by. The Climate
Control was founded in 2002 in New York City, USA. This is a great
invention because we are able to conserve the art pieces that is already more
than 100 years ago for future generations to see the image or sculpture in
person, because it's better to witness it in person than seeing it in a
photograph. This is the best way to preserve an artist's masterpiece.
This captures the audience’s attention
but they aren’t doing anything. The issue is that there are a lot of homeless
people around the world. Michael Rakowitz of course addresses the issue to the
best of his ability but he is involved in so much. Michael Rakowitz has very
good intentions and does it out of kindness. Majority of the pictures that are
featured in The Interventionists: Users'
Manual for the Creative Disruption of Everyday Life have his name under
them so he is involved with other artist.
The Reverend Billy
The Reverend Billy is
an activist that portrays a unique character and performance to get people
attention and to stop them from shopping in places that are over run or
overpowered – he often performs an exorcism by the cash register, organizes
protests, has a gospel group of singers. He has appeared in numerous places in
New York. It’s a non-profit organization.
Bill has a lot of
interaction with his audience – most of his performances were public and
informative. However, there were things he would get arrested for. For example,
he was protesting outside Starbucks in NY and was arrested for disturbance of
the peace – but he got his point crossed and proven – as he was getting
arrested he said that he respects the police force but as you can see they too
are being controlled by the Starbucks cooperates – they have too much power.
He continues to play
his character as an extreme activist – he is against high up business people
like Donald Trump -let’s see what Reverend Billy has planned. From my
perspective, Reverend Billy is a unique character and does capture the
audience’s attention – he is able to make his comedy skit and make a point at
the same time which is great.
Bill does exaggerate a
lot, but it captures the audience’s attention, I believe he should only be
involved in one issue such as Global Warming. I don’t agree with most of the
thing he is against – business is business – it’s different now, technology yes
has made it easier but it’s not all bad. However, global warming is an issue
and he should continue to address it with these comedy skits.
Guerilla
Girls
Guerilla
Girls is a powerful group of anonymous women wearing gorilla masks who fight
over sexism and racism within the art world. This group started in 1985, it's
creative how they got the name Guerilla Girls, the original creator of the name
didn't know how to spell gorilla and misspelled it to Guerilla which made it
unique. Guerilla Girls have increased throughout the years – their projects are
factual, humorous and involve fake fur.
Guerilla
Girls have various posters about woman rights in war, woman's art work in
general, rape, gay and lesbian rights, woman's body images, etc. Two posters
that have caught my attention the one on page 68 on the bottom right and page
95 middle top. I fell like these two images should be reprinted and passed out
to the public. The poster on page 68 shows a woman from the army and on the
bottom of that picture it quotes “Did she risk her life for governments that
enslave women?” Till this day woman don't have equal pay, men think that we as
woman cannot do the same thing as men when we obviously can. If woman can give
birth to another human being, I doubt men could do it.
However, just during
Trumps campaign to be president – he has been exposed many times disrespecting
woman – yet people support him. How are our people risking their lives for this
soul-less man? The other image on page 95 with an interracial couple kissing, a
gay couple kissing and a lesbian couple kissing; it states the following
“Kissing doesn't kill: greed and indifference do. Corporate greed, government
inaction and public indifference make AIDS a political crisis.” even though we
are now more aware of AIDs and even have the freedom to marry whoever we want –
the LGBTQ are still marching for equal rights.
Today,
everything that Guerilla Girls and other organizations that have fought to stop
social injustice has all been in vain because of the president racist people
have elected. I never knew how much hate and very old fashioned people lived in
the United States. Everyone should be treated equality and give equal
opportunities – they shouldn't be judged by the way they looks, their gender,
their race or even their sexual preference but they should be judged by the
“content of their character” exactly like Martin Luther King Jr. has said. Everyone
has the power to be whoever they want and do whatever they want.
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