I really liked the movie because women and men didn’t know anything about periods before because they didn’t have anyone to guide them on the subject, because women knew more about their bodies, their insecurities or curiosities. In addition, it matters a lot that technology and progress in the world was not even half of what it is now. When pads for comfort and use for women began to be implemented and created, everything began to make sense, however, when they had no idea about menstruation in the female body, it was something as shameful and as a taboo due to his ignorance and little knowledge of the subject. Everything would have been different if they had had someone to teach them, that is why it is very important today to teach both girls and boys about the subject of menstruation and sexuality because they must know their body and when they have intimacy with your partner should know you equally. I think that period is something natural for which we should not feel bad or ashamed because it is part of us and the woman is the one who gives birth, which is also something beautiful.
On the other hand, in the article on obstetric racism, I believe that many women experience it because society is the one in charge of creating these stereotypes that put one person below and another above for the simple fact of having different skin colors or status. In the article about transgender people, I believe that they have to have the same right as a normal citizen who is homosexual because they are human beings who pay taxes and work for society alike, they are consumers and the only thing that differentiates them is that they have a sexual taste or they want to dress differently.

IMANE CHAABA

Artistic activism is an artistic way that requires creativity, political view and emotional view to be delivered. Art and activism have different roles. Activism targets power but art is just a reflection of feelings and emotions. Being an artistic activist requires observation, analysis, and creativity as well. Nowadays artistic activism is more effective when it is expressed as an image or video or even a performance that includes music. People tend to be more engaged with the arts that they receive easily through social media. Artistic activism has existed for decades and by the year people confirmed that creating artistic things makes activism even more effective.

I really loved this quote”Artistic activism is activism that doesn’t look like activism and art that doesn’t look like art”. I think it is absolutely true because art is not art until it touches politics. Behind every artistic piece, there is a meaning and a message. Activism will always have different shapes since people also differ. Each artist has his/her own way of seeing things, I learned from Karen Chernick that activism was not only for males but also for women. I was very inspired by Carol Schneemann’s piece. It is so incredible to finally see that taking advantage of women by being the only ones who must take pictures of them and paint them while them sitting naked for hours. Her performance is an example of how women can do both. Carolee was known for her works about the body, gender, and sexuality. In this performance, she exposed her naked body to the audience and started talking about her vagina. Her message was very clear as she wants to break barriers that were set in the past for women.

This week we talk more about Activism. Its just that we are looking at it from an artistic point of view. There are many forms of activism like protesting and forming groups things we have discussed throughout the semester. “Why artistic Activism” gives a whole lot of information and connection between Art and Activism. Artistic Activism is using creative power  to be felt / cause emotion for whatever you are trying to stand up for. Activism Creates An effect &  art stimulates a feeling so it gives of an affect. Artistic Activism is aimed to emotionally change what side you are on or for you to support what is being fought for.  The article then goes on to talk about how this form of activism has been used throughout history. Before reading this I had a brief understanding of how artistic Activism is used in history for the good and bad. Like Propaganda in World Wars … signs and posters for justice and equality during a march. I remember during 2020 everyone was putting FTP’s many places that to me are simple examples of artist activism. When people write messages on walls for others to see could be view as artistic activism to me atleast. I can see how artistic activism can help spread a message to many people and bring them together or help someone get the message without saying anything. 

In the second article “ 10 Female Performance Artists You Should Know” im learning about Performance art and it connection to the feminist movement. In the 1960s and 1970s many women artist and feminist turned to  field of performance. The article continues to talk about a number of other female artists from the generation who played instrumental roles in shaping the connection. For example women like Judy Chicago & Miriam Schapiro are some of the first founders of the first feminist art programs in the United States helping Women artist have a space to show work to public and have public performances. The article then goes on to list many great Female Performance Artists who had interesting views  and legendary performances that had meaning behind them. Some of the few that caught my eyes was Carolee Schneemann work. Her sculptures was interesting its a Women being an imagine and still being an artist at the same time … and its created by Women. I can understand how she thinks Sculptures of naked people are mostly done by men. It interesting to see what happens when Women make art of other women. María Evelia Marmolej was a Latin American artists  who spoke up for environmental issues. I like how she trying to use her body to cleanse the earth if that makes sense.  Joan Jonas’ work is nice Focusing on Perception &  spectatorship. In general I find it amazing its like after the 1960..1970 Women started to slowly but surely be heard in many aspects of life. I’m sure that performance art and Artistic Activism have connection making things better for women as time goes on. 

I enjoyed having to read both readings from week 13. I feel like art can be whatever it is you can do but using art to spread awareness is a lot more effective. Before I was skeptical about whether activism art is really art at all but after reading I come to find out that it is. People use art to express their own feelings that otherwise they wouldn’t be able to with words. Reading about the different female artists was also interesting. They didn’t want to do what males have always done. They decided to do their own type of art that is female-dominated which I think is cool.

This week’s readings were important because it showed how diverse activism can be- and that it may not look the way we would expect, but is activism nonetheless. I found the artistic part of activism to be quite fascinating because art is left up to interpretation, and oftentimes speaks volumes in ways that words could not. The reading Why Artistic Activism? stood out to me because of the term “aeffect,” which is a result of the complementation that effect and affect have on one another. “Aeffect” is a result of the effect that activism strives to have on an issue, when combined with the affect the activism ends up having on the issue.One of the ways that we see activism on the da t day is in murals, which I have comes across frequently, as a native new Yorker. I find it awe-inspiring because of how many audiences that artistic activism can reach, with a lack of words and yet, a message that speaks volumes. 

I inspired a lot by these readings and happy to discover more arts and artists through the readings and other classmates’ posts.

After reading 10 Female Performance Artists You Should Know, from Ana Mendieta to Carolee Schneemann, I am attracted by Wilson’s artwork and what she said in an interview. “As women, we find ourselves performing all the time to meet society and the culture’s expectations about what we’re supposed to do, how we’re supposed to look, what we’re supposed to think,” Wilson explained in a 2015 interview. These become the reasons that Wilson doing her artwork or it is the core value and idea that motivate her to do her arts. She is using role play to discover how others invasing female’s self identity.

That’s the topic and thought that what I am being interested in-I feel like women are being required to fit in too many roles but there is no role for her to only play her true self. Most roles are under other people’s gazing-“good wife””good mother””good daughter”, they are all belonging to someone’s wife, mother or daughter but not herself. A woman’s whole time is being seperating and chopped to serve others depends on the relationships but never for herself. The society doesn’t want to give back the right to women-they dont want a woman can charge for herself and can take care of her own time. She is being considered to be thoughtful, caring, kind and willing to devote herself in a family-from her own home to others’ home, from daughter to wife, from wife to mother, she switching her role but it is difficult to see a place that she can play her own self by her free willing.

Through condescending communication, art has served purging and striking influences in its domain. Spreading intense messages through its magnificent images as well as speaking volumes of truth without having to say much. Art is such that, an individual could take a look at it and would perfectly understanding the message it is trying to adhere. Same goes for it through activism, art has served its purpose in the world of activism. As foreknown activism is the act where higher authorities and oppressing laws, and policies are challenged. Including the will desires to have amendments which benefits some to others to be reformed. Art being a way of expressing thoughts and imagination through creative skills like paintings, sculptures and all kinds of artifacts goes hand in hand and perfectly supports the sensation of activism. Art can be used to strategically design monuments which helps to visualize concepts and ideas that needs to be targeted.

It is such an emotional excitement to learn of amazing artist who have used their arts in the forms of paintings and object to spread awareness of incoherent government and matters of intersectionality. Maria Evelia Marmolejo’s art indeed caught my attention with the abstract notion of environmental concern including the analysis of earth cleanliness. Joan Jonas, with the art of reflection and approval (at least that is the message I got from the image). Tania Bruguera, amongst many others who capture intense emotions and insight in their monument and paintings. I am mostly excited about these works because the artist are women. I always get excited to see women thrive.

I really enjoyed this week’s articles! I think art definitely has the power to influence a lot of people, so it’s important to recognize it as a tool that can bring about change. I also think that art can be a lot more accessible than the typical interpretations of activism (like protests) — and as said in the article, Why Artistic Activism?: “Unlike fine arts or political policy, artistic activism takes no specialized knowledge for an audience to “get it.”” Activist art doesn’t have to be something dramatic and grand, either. The intent and the message is what’s most important.

Pretentious behavior can flourish in any space. I’m sure that there are unfortunately a few people in artistic spaces that make it difficult for artists to share their opinions and experiences — but there is no wrong way to make art, ESPECIALLY if you are making it in order to challenge or address a social issue. Your work is always important, and will always mean something to someone. If it’s important to you, then it will be important to someone else, too.

I remember when I visited the Boston Museum of Fine Arts a couple months ago, and was lucky enough to see the Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories exhibit. The quilts were absolutely beautiful and so powerfully thought provoking, contained such strong messages about our society and were made by Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian and LGBTQ+ artists throughout the years. I never thought that quilts could tell so many stories and I’m still so moved. Passion and activism can be seen through every single art medium!

During this week’s readings and viewings, I was especially moved by 10 Female performance Artists You Should Know and right off the bat was taken by Ana Mendieta and her life, Art, and untimely death. I even went to search more about her immediately after reading the excerpt on her and realized her birthday was the day after mine so I figured it might also explain why I felt some type of connection. The story of her death pretty much stopped me in my tracks as she was only 36 years old and I needed to understand more but it is still very perplexing what happened on that night. I felt connected to her style of art where she essentially wanted to “find her roots” by connecting to nature after fleeing Cuba with her sister to an Orphanage in Iowa. Even the way she described her artwork “earth-body” resonates with me. One of my sisters has lovingly called me “earth and earthy” throughout our lives so I was taken by that. I was also very moved by the audacity of Carolee Schneemann’s art activism in Interior Scroll 1975. The powerful message she used to describe her work when she read out of a scroll that she removed from her vagina was jaw dropping “I didn’t want to pull a scroll out of my vagina, but the culture’s terror of my making overt what it wished to suppress fueled the image”. Being able to have taken this course has given me a new pair of eyes in which to look at many things and concepts of the world that I was simply ignoring before and makes me what to do my part to make a difference. Witnessing the artwork of these female artists that stem back to the 1960’s/70’s made me emotionally “bow down” to the courage of what they stood and continue to stand up against as the oppression during their times were even more stigmatized than it can be today.

Art maintains a constant in an ever-changing social and political landscape. Art has always been a manner of reacting to one’s surroundings, which has frequently resulted in societal analysis and commentary. This is because, in the end, art reflects life. Activist art is about empowering individuals and communities, and it is typically created in the public sphere by artists who collaborate closely with a community.
Some activists are also involved in direct actions. Throughout the reading “Why Artistic Activism?” by The Center for Artistic Activism, primarily focuses on the purpose of activism which is to generate an effect while also creating one. When these two terms are combined, we can see how they complement one another and form a “aeffect.” The goal of this type of advocacy is to elicit emotional responses that result in genuine change.

From Ana Mendieta to Carolee Schneemann, 10 Female Performance Artists You Should Know demonstrates how Activism has been influenced through art, and artists can rarely put something into the world without tackling concerns of creativity, ownership, and capitalism. And it’s a relationship that has become more complex in recent years as activism has risen in unprecedented ways. With the help of social media, movements that were once confined to basements and back rooms are now born and spreading like wildfire on the internet. Being that there have been numerous instances of this in the past.