Social Activism in Mixed Media Projects

Art.with.a.Message.

What is Art with a Message?

Activist art is intended for a wider audience, and sets out to create awareness for those who have been marginalized and disenfranchised (I.E. The people of Nicaragua) so they can be seen and given a voice.

Activist art incorporates the use of public space to address socio-political issues and to encourage community and public participation as a means of bringing about social change.

It aims to change society by opening up the dialogue, raising consciousness, and empowering individuals and communities to create positive change .

Watch the video about who ODFL is

For this project…• -You will be creating a work

of art that sends a message to your viewer

• -Your point of view may be extremely obvious OR it may be obscured and be able to be read multiple ways

• -The specific proposal for your project should be something you feel strongly about or connected to

• -You may choose to use words/text to better help get your point across but text is not required.

Classic examples of POSTER ART with a message: American Propaganda

Shepard Fairey

• Born in 1970 (42 years old, probably the youngest artist we will study)

• He went to RISD (Rhode Island School of Design)

• While at RISD Fairey made his infamous “Andre the Giant has a Posse” and “Liberated” posters

Phenomenology• The Obey campaign can be explained as an

experiment in Phenomenology.

• The first aim of Phenomenology is to reawaken a sense of wonder about one’s environment.

• The Obey campaign attempts to stimulate curiosity and bring people to question both the campaign and their relationship with their surroundings.

• Because people are not used to seeing advertisements or propaganda for which the motive isn’t obvious, seeing Obey’s propaganda on the street provokes thought or frustration. It reawakens the viewer’s perception and attention to detail.

• The medium is the message - www.obeygiant.com

Getting the Message Out

Fairey’s idea of phenomenology was carried out through posting up images and posters all around the world

Some of the images were vague in meaning and some had very clear and bold messages

War and art from Shepard Fairey

War as a theme

The environment as a theme

Education as a theme

Peace as a theme

Art for Change or Revolution

Lorraine Schneider (American, 1925-1972)

War Themes in History

Our Flags are Victory!Used in WWII by Germany.

Other German propaganda art was used to promote nationalism.

It was also used to portray Jewish people as inferior.

Examples of German Propaganda

Promoting Hope and Change Through Art

“ Hope for Darfur”By Brett Wilson

And Shepard Fairey

Barbara Kruger

Themes: feminism, classicism, consumerism, and individual autonomy and desire

Born in 1945Themes of feminism, consumerism, sexismUses images from old mainstream magazines And pastes text over, strategically

Themes of Domestic Violence

“fighting discrimination with facts, humor and fake fur since 1985”• Theme: “reinventing the ‘F’ word: feminism• Call themselves: “the conscious of the art world” • Employ guerrilla tactics by putting up posters and flyers in public places

Guerilla Girls

The role of women in the art world

• Iranian born artist• She questions the role of women

in Islamic society• Medium: Black and White • photographs with ink• Works in native language

Shirin Neshat

Chris Jordan• Running the Numbers looks at

contemporary American culture through the lens of statistics.

• Each image portrays a specific quantity of something: fifteen million sheets of office paper (five minutes of paper use); The photo to the right depicts one hundred million toothpicks, equal to the number of trees cut in the U.S. yearly to make the paper for junk mail.

Guns

photos depict 29,569 handguns, equal to the number of gun-related deaths in the US in 2004.

Dada Style Collage:

Mark Jenkins:

Mark Jenkins:

Mark Jenkins:

Clothe your sculpture so it blends into the school

environment

Nicaragua: current classroom state

About nicaragua: ANSWERS

About nicaragua: ANSWERS• $10,694 is spent on each student PER YEAR in the US.

• 2009 Elementary School Classroom for Village of San Martin, Nicaragua Project Cost: $14,725.85BackgroundNicaragua, bordered by Honduras and Costa Rica in Central America, is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Over 28% of the population in Nicaragua lives in poverty with a per capita average annual income is $945. According to UN figures, 80% of the indigenous population lives on less than $1 per day.

Now it’s your turn!• You and a partner in this class will be

responsible for making each of the following:– 1 Collection box for a teacher or room on campus– 1 inspirational poster that reflects our goals, ideas

and efforts behind the ODFL mission– 1 page spread of a zine

• As a class we will make a large tape sculpture installation that sells a message to our audience. We will choose a theme together and each person in class will contribute at least 1 tape sculpture to be put in the installation

Time to make your own…Collection Boxes: using a combo of the paper template and paper mache techniqueYour pair will be given a teachers name, make a flashy box to collect funds in homeroomMixed Media Poster campaign.-an 11x17 inch art poster illustrating an idea/fact that will create awareness for ODFL using mixed-media collage style including images, stencil, block print, drawn design or collage.-The poster will be installed around campus to further support ‘the cause.’

Time to make your own…Zine:-a 5.5x8.5 inch zine (pronounced Zeen), a do-it-yourself style pamphlet exposing truths and spreading the word about the ODFL movement. -You and your partner will create a cut-and paste layout for a spread (2 pages), using various materials like type, stamps, handwritten notes, bits of paper, images from the web or magazines, fabric, hand drawn designs or images, etc.-The best spreads will be photocopied and distributed around campus in the form of a zine. We need center spreads, front and back cover.

Time to make your own…

Packing Tape Sculpture -a large, campus installation, made out of packing tape that explores an idea from the ODFL movement. -The impressive sculptures will be conceptual, complete with an artist’s statement and will be installed around campus to raise awareness for ODFL and Friday Night Live.-each period will collaborate on an idea for their installation, each pair (partners) will contribute to the period’s sculpture concept.- Your tape sculptures will be formulated as a class and therefore, graded as a class. We will grade the installation and individual pieces as a whole and will be looking at concept, message, craftsmanship, installation, location and individual participation

Collection boxes • Each pair will create a box, for each homeroom

• The box can be personalized for the teacher, and should stand out to encourage students to donate.

• How you design and decorate your box is up to you!

Collect Box Ideas!

Start with a simple box shape and add additional pieces and decorations to turn it into a themed box

Additions on top or back to serve a purpose or for decoration

Diorama message or themed according to the class your box will be put in

Or no message at all- just an original design

A few more examples:

Mixed Media Poster Examples

Mixed Media Poster Examples

Zine examples

Scott Chenoweth

Click the link ^

Zine examples

Zine made by “Invisible Children”

Packing Tape Sculpture Installation

GAHR Tape Sculpture Installation

Think about how your project will have the most impact.

TIMELINE: warning due dates are strictly enforced!

• Thur/Fri – partner up and start brainstorming• 3/4 - 3/8 – Different ODFL demos each day • 3/6 – Glazed slabs DUE!• 3/7 – Friday Night Live Auditions (3-5 pm)• 3/13 – Collection boxes DUE! Deliver that day• 3/15 – Zine spread DUE!• 3/18 – Poster DUE! Install that day!• 3/19 – Tape sculptures DUE! Install that day!• 3/22 – FRIDAY NITE LIVE! Fundraiser! 6 pm* Make sure to check the calendar for days in which you can/cannot wheel throw!

See More from last year’s students@ MissGgallery.blogspot.com