“Art no longer contests anything, if it ever did.” -Jean Baudrillard

“It is essential that the minority advocate the necessity of going on an ‘active art strike’ using the machines of the culture industry to set it in total contradiction to itself. The intention is not to end the rule of production, but to change the most adventurous part of ‘artistic’ production into the production of revolutionary ideas, forms and techniques.” -Alain Jouffroy

The fact of the matter is, the vast majority of artists ’round the world are shafted as they are simply considered no fiscal priority.

Art Strike 1977-1980 was helmed by Gustav Metzger and the Art Workers Coalition calling for artists to withdraw their labor for a minimum of three years.

Art Strike 1990-1998 was led by Stewart Home aiming for much the same thing.

Last June, Graham Martin tried for much the same thing.

Whether the Art Strike is more about the fiscal downfall of the artist or the lack of identity and direct social implication that befalls an artist, and no matter where one’s own personal fiscal priorities lie, a society without art, in all shapes and also sizes, is a mind boggling notion near possible to conceptualize and understand. What would the world be like? And perhaps the contributions of artists should not be so short changed.

Sources: http://www.foldgallery.co.uk/artstrike/index.html

http://stewarthomesociety.org/artstrik.htm

“Curated by postage stamp artist Michael Hernandez de Luna, the work in AXIS OF EVIL speaks directly and bluntly about present day issues, such as the war in Iraq, September 11, American foreign policy amongst other current events. The carnival of images resulting in AXIS OF EVIL is a provocative visual labyrinth of social commentary that reflects a historical parallel to protest art of the 60’s and 70’s.”

International Exhibition “Axis of Evil: The Secret History of Sin” at Columbia College Chicago. April, 2005.

[roll over images for Artist information]

“Owing to a number of images that ridicule the president and members of his administration, the show has been called “anti-Bush” when, in fact, its theme is much broader. It addresses not just politicians of both major parties in the United States, but different political systems, the clergy, corporations, war, television, terrorism, gun culture, cigarette smokers and despoilers of the natural landscape in addition to the Seven Deadly Sins treated in art and literature.”

” ‘Axis of Evil’ contains sheets of artist-designed stamps from 11 countries. Because such stamps often are affixed to envelopes and sent through the mail, the work is a branch of correspondence art, which has been a recognized international movement since the early 1960s. However, because none of the stamps on view was used that way, the element of art as a guerrilla activity is not emphasized, though the theme of the show ensured that art would still be seen as an instrument of social protest.”

“The kinds of images found on the stamps are familiar from posters encountered at political rallies. There, of course, they preach to a choir that shares the same point of view, and no matter how overstated the criticism or broad the humor no one is offended. A gallery, on the other hand, is a venue that potentially serves visitors of every viewpoint, so the risk of giving offense is continuous. Hence, the call to the Secret Service almost immediately after the exhibition opened.”

“Few of the images are subtle; as with posters, the messages on stamps have to be conveyed forcefully, in an instant. This makes the prospect of their getting through the mail so delicious, for each stamp is usually perfectly clear as to what it’s about and, even so, passes undetected under the noses of people at some of the institutions being criticized. When shown, as here, in pristine sheets and blocks, its harder for the viewer to get that prankish aspect, but once grasped, the subversive humor lightens the tone of even more gruesome images.”

Source: http://www.badpressbooks.com/news.html

Amidst the many historical sites in Ridgefield—including a Revolutionary War battleground and a Colonial tavern, Magnusson’s markers will arrest viewers with contemporary facts such as “ON THIS SITE STOOD, RY BRAUER, TYPICAL AMERICAN TEEN. BY THE AGE OF 18, HE HAD WITNESSED OVER 30,000 MURDERS ON TV.” The subject matter of Magnusson’s project is broad, with other topics including global warming, the importance of dissent in the democratic process, evolution/intelligent design, and “Walmartification.”

Magnusson, clearly aware of the potential for these contemporary roadside markers to persuade and shape ideas, comments, “Historical markers are an inherently interesting vehicle for socially pointed thoughts. The types of people who stop to read them are collectively defined more by their curiosity about the world around them than they are by any shared ideological leanings, which makes them a perfect audience for a carefully-crafted message.” Magnusson hopes his art will open minds and shape opinions, and calls what he is doing an art of social conscience.

Norm Magnusson

Cristy c. Road