Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Arty Things. #1.

Art has irrefutable restorative and conciliatory powers. This is the notion that has spurred on some of us S-LC staff members to a quest to better understand art and the ways in which it relates to service-learning and social justice. To be sure, this is no small task. With that initial conviction as our foundation, however, we decided to begin this escapade by exploring the ways in which art creates meaning. This nebulous outset in turn has led to many fascinating discussions about how art is ontologically polymorphous (even amorphous, such as in the Jackson Pollock sampling to the right), how it manifests itself concretely and in its interpretation, and how it acts as a medium of restoration and reconciliation. The list goes on.

In our latest musings, we have been particularly intrigued with one phenomenon: the genesis and preponderance of community art programs across both the US and the world at large. Why are these programs successful, especially in communities that lack the funds to support it? Who makes time for this sort of thing? What is it about these programs that convince neighborhood associations and local budget committees to set aside monies for an activity as “frivolous” and purportedly impotent as art?

Among the many apparent answers to this question (for instance, the construction of a communal identity, an avenue for self-expression, etc.), the most intriguing idea we’ve toyed with relates back to Marxism—an ever-apt lens when it comes to any examination of power dynamics within society. Louis Althusser, a 20th century Marxist philosopher, frequently addresses the idea of interpellation, or that which he deems “hailing the subject.” This principle is essentially an act of saying, “You are a person.” According to Althusser, the basic human truth that makes such an act necessary is that the status of personhood is granted not by the self, but by the Other, whether the Other consists of one person or the consensus of an entire community. Each of us, then, is dependent on others to bestow upon us the title of fellow human being. Likewise, communities can easily deny the personhood of others simply by refusing them entry into their community. Power is given, not taken.

We have been exploring the notion of art as interpellation, as an interpellative act. By granting the privilege to participate in art, this exclusive activity that is so often rendered either impractical or a lavish luxury, you allow for the act of interpellation to take place, for the establishment personhood. In the case of community art programs, someone who belongs to a marginalized subclass of society is, for the moment, no longer relegated to his or her place of inferiority, but is empowered by the simple accessibility and extension of art. A paintbrush, then, is so much more than a basic mechanism for creative work. It is a scepter of sorts, both an instrument and a possession of empowerment. To paint, to write, to create is to participate in one construct of society as a fuller, more empowered citizen than you were before you walked through the door.

The implications of this quickly lead to a perspective of art as a means toward social justice that we hope to explore further in meetings to come. We’ll keep you posted.

1 comment:

Bryan Kibbe said...

Interesting post. I enjoy thinking about how our identity is formed not on our own, but through others, or "the Other." I have not reflected so much on the power of art, so your post is particularly good in spurring some of my thinking. It is interesting to think that in common day to day affairs, art is, for many people, something extra, something beyond the obviously pressing concerns of paying bills and putting food on the table. However, one cannot deny the empowering role of art, as you so aptly point out in your post. This leads me to think then that human beings are not simple creatures, but rather we are complex, creative creatures. We are creatures that were meant for something more, and I think art taps into that. Thus, while art is in one sense "extra" in the scope of daily existence, it is in another sense essential for being authentically human.