Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Art 21

       For this assignment I chose Tania Bruguera. She is a motivated performance artist whose center focus is on the relationship between social change, activism, and art. She shows that in pieces of art that questions the social effects of political and economic power. While viewing this short video I learned that she isn't the type of artist who paints. She usually stages her performances using an unknown audience, where she interprets political social and economical views. In most of her art you will notice that she uses herself as the subject, she has no boundaries. The type of art that she does brings a sense of discomfort to the audience. 

      "I'm aware of what could be right into things, I don't like to talk about the symbolism it puts too much meaning into it I like it to be what it is in a very concrete way." This is called Self Sabotage, as she was reading a speech on the idea of survival she would stop from time to time and hold a gun to her head playing a real-life game of Russian Roulette. People were discomforted by this and so other artists and the members put a stop to it. 
      "The most important moment for an art piece is when people are not sure if it art or not" This is called The Burden of Guilt at the Havana Biennial. This was based on the story of a collective suicide of native peoples under Spanish occupation who ate large amounts of dirt until they died.

      "Art is about not knowing where you are going". This is named Freedom of Speech at the Havana Biennial. This was to promote freedom of speech, she invited people from the audience to come up and say something. While they said their speech a white dove was placed on their shoulder to imitate Fidel Castro's speech. They all tackled the same topic freedom and democracy. This was seen as an anti-cultural event of shameful opportunism that aggravates Cuban artists.  

4 comments:

  1. Wow, her work is really intense. Didnt realize this type of art existed.

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    1. Neither did I, which is why it interest me so much.

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  2. I'm fascinated by her artwork and the way she uses the technique of self sabotage, and "Russian Roulette" as a way of expressing herself. Excellent choice of an artist and great descriptions of each image.

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  3. I agree -this was a great choice- we haven't had a chance to talk about performance art yet- thanks for bringing this artist into our view...

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