Art and Protest 

As we see different protests and rallies across the globe, there are some commonalities despite the difference in cause, message, and location. One of those commonalities is the presence of art. From handmade signs to stickers left on street lights, the arts and activism have always been intricately linked. Frieze Magazine sent out a poll to artists, curators, and writers asking two main questions: How important is art as a form of protest, and how effective is it at creating change? More than 50 artists from over 30 countries responded with essays, images, and films. The link below has a few examples of the responses given. 

The Schneider Museum of Art’s winter exhibition What’s at Stake is an example of the strength art holds as a form of advocacy. Al Farrow, an artist featured in the Main and Heiter Galleries, began his journey into political art after involvement with anti-war protests during the Vietnam War. His work is a kind of protest for change, asking viewers to really consider the costs of armed conflicts. Who benefits from brutality, and who pays the consequences?

https://www.frieze.com/article/how-important-art-form-protest

Swan Lake

As Russian protesters face arrest and violence for speaking against the government, the landscape of activism has had to change to keep people safe. One of the ways citizens are getting their voices heard inadvertently is through public clips of the renowned ballet, Swan Lake. The performance became a symbol of resistance in 1982 after the death of Premier Leonid Brezhnev, as it was aired on a loop as Soviet leaders scrambled to select a successor. The trend continued as the years went on and more leaders passed; Swan Lake became associated with the death of people in power. Today, amidst protests within Russia against the war in Ukraine, Swan Lake has been revived. Ballerinas grace walls of graffiti and an independent news station that was pressured to halt production indefinitely over their coverage of the war signed off with a clip of the performance. 

Artist Masami Teraoka uses this symbol of quiet rebellion in his Swan Lake series. The pink tutus among tanks, bloodstains, and ruins hold the facade and reality as one. Learn more about Swan Lake as a symbol of resistance with the link below, and find Teraoka’s work in the Main Gallery of the Schneider Museum of Art.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/swan-lake-symbol-protest-russia/story?id=84401801

Wesley Hicks

Artist and musician Wesley Hicks lives and works out of Los Angeles, California. He has an impressive number of mediums in his arsenal, including pottery, sculpture, origami, instrument crafting, sound design, and scents. He is also a published writer and creative cook. His work engages with all of the senses, both physical and psychological. Hicks will be joining the Schneider Museum of Art for a Creative Industries Discussion next Friday (2/9) at 3pm in the SOU Meese Auditorium (Art Building). This event is free and open to the public. Join us to learn more about his interdisciplinary work and ask questions about his artistic process. The link to his website can be found below. We encourage you to explore the variety of talents he has and engage with him about his work. We hope to see you there!

Discover More!

Tuesday Tours

Inside the Museum Archive

Thank you to our sponsors!

James M. Collier

Jeannie Taylor