Online Gallery of Art.ivism and creation of Alternative Narratives
When art is thought to shape the society
The present online Gallery intends to collect a variety of repertoires of actions of the activists using art (or artists doing artivism) in the global panorama with a special focus on the European continent.
We paid special attention to the creation of non-harmful narratives as an alternative to the divisive speeches that are cementing hate towards excluded individuals and groups at the beginning of the XXI century. Our proposal, as young peacebuilders, is to reinforce those communicative actions that are based on non-violence and inclusion trying to avoid prejudices and wrong categorizations while Human Rights are promoted and respected.
We do not want to start this collection of good practices without a special mention of the Freedom of Speech, as a fundamental right at the core of our democratic systems.
FILOPAPPOU GROUP
A different garden invites the visitors to be part of it. An environment, a place for gathering, of an immanent scenery, which hosts the negotiation of the subject-related issues. Arcadia is the imaginary place of frustration, which, among others, refers to an earthly and at the same time mythical paradise, to a garden of pleasures, to a contemplation on death and eternity but also to an inexplicable feeling of escapism. The group research and study, as well as our stroll through Poussin’s painting ‘Et in Arcadia ego’, drove us to consider topics such as natural and artificial paradise, pause and movement, the flourishing of people and artificial flora, death and eternity, rhizome and passage, and collectivity and community. An ephemeral place of concentration and focusing, which is mobile and different every day, and also requires accomplices.
-the reason I like this project is that it brings together different elements in an elegant way. It brings the community together by raising questions around the earth, the body, pleasure, death and paradise.
She is a german artist who posts phrases or short texts on the streets while commenting on social situations in a humoristic way. It is interesting how she can be short but also funny and still send the message through.
Is an artivist who works with pastels while advocating for climate change. She is creating huge pieces of art after visiting the affected areas. Her work is admired because it is beautiful and captivating to watch. At the same time and makes you wonder why she does what she does and then you learn about the message behind it.
This is a public open space that was occupied by the neighbors looking for a space to share and create and finally the government “gave them the right” to use it. I love it because it is a living space in the center of Madrid, in Lavapies, one of the most multicultural neighborhoods in the city. The fact the garden is the main space and is used to show children how our plants grow shows this project as a very innovative Artivism example. Also, there is a man who does puppets activities and the protagonist is the veggies you can find in the garden itself. It has an open theatre, a kiln to do bread and pottery, an space for children's toys and you can find different workshops going on.
The Yes Men are a culture jamming activist duo and network of supporters created by Jacques Servin and Igor Vamos.[1] Through various actions, the Yes Men primarily aim to raise awareness about problematic social and political issues. To date, the duo have produced three films: The Yes Men (2003), The Yes Men Fix the World (2009),[1] and The Yes Men Are Revolting (2014). In these films, they impersonate entities that they dislike, a practice that they call “identity correction.”[citation needed] The Yes Men operate under the mission statement that lies can expose the truth. They create and maintain fake websites similar to ones they intend to spoof, which have led to numerous interview, conference, and TV talk show invitations. They espouse the belief that corporations and governmental organizations often act in dehumanizing ways toward the public. Elaborate props are sometimes part of the ruse (e.g. Survivaball), as shown in their 2003 DVD release The Yes Men. The Yes Men have collaborated with other groups of similar interest, including Improv Everywhere, Andrew Boyd and Steve Lambert.
The international press has nicknamed him the 'Spanish Banksy'. Kanye West spoke positively of his work and, although no one has put a face on him, his works in cities around the world have already made him famous.
The Billboard Liberation Front practices culture jamming via altering billboards by changing key words to radically alter the message, often to an anti-corporate message.[1] It started in San Francisco in 1977.[2]
Advertising executives informed Jill Posener, author of Spray it Loud (1982), that the executives designed billboards to attract attacks because the changes drew attention to the products. The BLF were aware of this possibility and considered invoicing advertisers including Chiat Day for the BLF’s work.[3]
In 2013, Complex Magazine named the BLF #27 of The 50 Most Influential Street Artists of All Time.
Alicja Rogalska “The Broniów song”
This performance does not need any explanation, just watch it, it speaks by itself.
Alicja Rogalska “Broniów song”. In my opinion, it's a perfect performance in the sense of working with the community. There are women from the polish village that sings their traditional song, but it's a little bit changed by them (these changes were encouraged by artist Alicja Roglaska) and now the text reflects their actual economic/political problems. And it is stunning because it is not only a beautiful musical motive but also it is the truth about them and they spoke by themselves in the way they know good.
Aleksandra Pirich, „Soft Power”
It also speaks by itself. Just a little contextual comment:
Construction of bodies tends to show that living people are vulnerable. And its vulnerability in performance is opposed to the great fervor of historical representations (in the Russian context there are a lot of sculptures of great people all over the country, such as Lenin, Pushkin, Peter the Great and so on). Artist, Aleksandra Pirich „challenged this narration of the greatness that has gone and the mythology of a great past that is begone and ought to be reached again. ”
Stundenblumen — time as precious and fragile as a flower
In a fast and overstimulated world, it is for many people hard to find moments of inner peace. As a result, mental health is in a really bad state, people suffer from isolation and loneliness.
Stundenblumen has been founded to address these issues. The term derives from one of my favorite books — Momo by Michael Ende.
It is about remembering the simple things in life that bring us together and help us to grow as human beings. One flower of time could be to sing together, share stories and time. It could also involve meditation and contemplation.
I am taking these precious flowers to people from all around the globe. It is all about creating space to let time do its beauty. Stundenblumen comes for example in the form of workshops and is unlimited in its potential.
Overall, I think it is a concept that forms my everyday life — in order to be more conscious about my time and how I can share it to find true beauty.
Mirella Frenzel — Installation
Sprachmuster is an audiovisual installation about language and its social meaning. Language projects values, social norms and opinions. Language is the mirror of society. It reflects (power) relations and structures. Language creates realities. It transports cultures and identities. Language connects, language separates. The installation is an interactive space of experience, which invites to perceive language and to reflect on their own habits.
Animated abstract patterns are projected onto translucent fabric panels. They stand as a metaphor for habits, routines and systems. The visual level is complemented by a soundscape. On an ambient track, everyday words emerge, at first whispered and later spoken aloud. Primarily in German, but also in Arabic, Russian, English, Spanish and French. As the installation progresses, certain words and their etymology are read aloud by an artificial voice: Power. Hysterical. Witch. Colony. Family. Defloration.
A space of observation. Of communication. Of interaction. What enables us to reflect? We ourselves become a projection surface. Reflection through selfies. Slipping into the (power) role by projecting words onto others ourselves with handheld projectors.
This creates a multisensory experience that makes language tangible and our social binary system visible. An invitation to turn off the autopilot. To think anew and to confront one’s own values, patterns of thinking and behavior.
Creative Destruction is a space where narrative can be reclaimed, politics have taken back and art & activism celebrated and used as a tool to fight for change, today and for the next generation. It aims to center kindness, respect and community, whilst addressing the harsh realities many live under and challenging why.
English disco lovers
The English Disco Lovers (EDL) was a Web movement, formed as a Google bombing campaign with the intention of replacing the anti-muslim street protest group the English Defence League as the top search engine result for “EDL”. The website has since been taken down.
Some of those examples are collective artworks, other a single author initiative but all of them have in common the intention of transforming society and boosting the critical thinking of the spectators.
This collection of Artivistic examples of Alternative Narratives was developed during the training course of YPAN by a group of 25 international young activists when they were asked to show what references of previous works were inspiring them to create and make a change in society.
We are the Youth Peace Ambassadors Network and Artivism is one of the tools we use to create a society more respectful of Human Rights.
