Arts and Activism / Fall 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Occupy LA - November 27th 2011
Sophia Wang, Will Cotter, and myself went down to Occupy LA this afternoon. It was very inspiring. I was able to play some of my music. Love you all.
XO
- Saxon
Augusto Boal and Theatre of the Oppressed
I think that this method of theatre is beneficial to many people. It’s a smart way to get non-actors to move outside their comfort zone and talk about real issues. Clearly there is some sort of result as it is progressing and expanding across the world.
I did a form of this theatre when I volunteered at Miguel Contreras High School.
It was my job to organize a syllabus and teach the class entirely on my own. We played a bunch of theatre games in this tradition. I asked for suggestions for a scene from the class and a student said gangs. So I said “you are a mother and son and your son tells you he’s dropping out of school to join a gang”. The girl who played the mother looked terrified she kept looking at me for help. The boy who played the son was very adamant about what he was saying. He said that being in a gang is good because he has friends and people to protect him and his family and that if he didn’t know them then they would rape her. This sent a huge stir into the students. Then a girl from the “audience” says to the girl playing the mom, “tell him he could get killed” she ignores her. I then suggest that she steps in as the mom and they create some sort of solution. The son then convinces the mother to meet his gang member friends and at least see what they’re like. This to me is not a good solution. I was shocked that no one wanted to talk about gang situations and the “mother” didn’t even mention staying in school. That’s not on the priority list. I think I am very sheltered. I never had to deal with gang violence or dropping out of school. The biggest scandal at my high school was that a girl got pregnant and had to drop out, I was told that at their school girls get pregnant all the time.
After the class was dismissed, the teacher told me that when they don’t wanna do things, you’ll know. From her stand point and what she knew about them, it was a big success. Then at the very end something happened that really moved me. There was this one girl that throughout the entire class was incredibly shy when she was spoken to had a very defensive attitude. She seemed to just not want to be here. For most of the class I just let her be. She came up to me and asked about how she can get into acting. She said she loved the class and really wanted to become an actress like me. I was so thrown. I gave her a big hug, which she was reluctant about but welcomed, and we exchanged emails. I told her we should email each other and if she ever wanted to talk we could. That one short moment was the best part of my whole day. The one student who I thought I was lost on I ended up having the biggest impact on.
I definitely appreciate this form of theatre and had a great experience with this outlet. The response was amazing and I’m sure it would help in progressing the development of the class in further teachings. However for now, it’s not something that I seek out or have a great deal of interest in.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Agusto Boal & the Legislative Theater
Response to Mady Schutzman, TO, and Community based theater
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Stacia Hitt What A Riot "UPSET" Late
Stacia Hitt Legislative Theater
Legislative Theatre Jose Estrada
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Legislative Theatre
Legislative Theatre
After this reading I am not sure how I feel about the Carnival, I also think I am persuaded by the video we watched in class on Theatre of the Oppressed. Although I am a visual and active learner, and I enjoy the idea of games, humor and this sense of this non-existing reality, I have to question if the idea of this freedom does much for anyone after they walk away. We are all creative people, who can have a wide sense of imagination, pretend, and act foolish when we are in appropriate place, but when does it become okay to use these ideas in reality and it make a difference. I see this urge to use the Carnival to draw people in, engage with people that might not normally involve themselves, to remind and teach them freedom, but when those people go home and they don’t have that same surrounding any longer, do it almost become impossible again. I love that this idea exists and I want to believe it can cause a snowball effect and create a social change. Even though I am not sure exactly how I feel I want to feel happy that the happy feelings, laughter, and humor inside of us can change the perspective.
Rachel DeROsa
Friday, November 11, 2011
Legislative Theater
However, I do enjoy some of his strategies for theater; especially the games. They are really are the magic to his whole process of getting non-actors to perform and collaborate on the creation of a play. When working with people who have to use personal barriers to protect themselves from their hostile environment, it is vital to get everyone on the same level. I don't want to say you need to break them down but rather allow them to open themselves up to a protective space.
I appreciate Boal's drive to use theater as a means of communities discussing and presenting the issues they face to others within their neighborhoods.
-isabel
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Legislative Theatre
On a lighter note, It is wonderful to think that the people of these societies were able and willing to participate in Carnival. People seemed to be able to drop their differences and co-exist in the most potentially human way possible. It just goes to show that people inherently want to be free--we are playful beings. The fact that Carnival is based upon laughter, even though it can seem a little 'cultish' when one first reads about it, is such an interesting notion. Laughter is beautiful. It keeps people healthy.
THE LEGISLATIVE
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Augusto Boal
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Kester
What a Riot!
Propaganda (Late)
What a Riot….another late response.
Middle school and high school is an interesting time for students in the US, The developing minds and changing bodies and body chemistry. As stated in the reading, some were perturbed by the content and process of Mady’s CAP process, but what is interesting is that while the words were written by Mady who has a more educated notion of the history and effects of the Rodney King trial and the political situations of that time, the workshop really seemed like it was being lead by the student’s understandings. And not only their understandings, but their fears, emotional responses and their team work to understand the differences and path of other human beings in various situations. It seems to me that really what this workshop was, was a study in a collapse of what the mythologist Joseph Campbell calls, “The Heroes Journey,” which is ultimately the path of an individual.
-Chase
Late Kester Response
A lot of the conversation in Kester’s “Critical Framework for Dialogical Practice,” involves the gentrification of urban areas. And while the paper mainly focuses on New York locales, the shock waves of this idea can be seen today, most recently in Detroit and Chicago.
In Chicago, the Ida B. Welles Projects were torn down and replaced with upscale townhomes. Some of the residents of the projects were displaced, while others received free housing in the townhomes. The free housing is thanks to more affluent neighbors paying for their apartments for upwards of $500,000 spaces. Here is a video.
In Detroit, A city that currently is the least populated in the United States and has the highest crime is trying to attract graduating students and 20somethings to live within the city in order to boost the local economy as well as make it a livable city.
Both of these cities to a certain extent are trying to create a faux-culture, community.
-Chase
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Late Lacy Response
In “Debated Territory: Toward A Critical Language For Public Art,” Suzanne Lacy wrote;
“With these questions comes a particular dilemma for new genre public art critics: Can, or how can, a materialized belief system be evaluated? Raven’s deliberate use of “good” underscores our vulnerability in matching our beliefs to the artist’s, comparing and holding as good any mutuality. One critic values contemplation and the other activity; One espouses leftist politics and the other right fundamentalism. In fact, while all art represents artists’ understandings of meaning, the often culturally interventionist intentions of some artists threaten the stance of “objectivity” by which criticism attempts to deify art.”
A difficult obstacle in any art, I think is a “professional critic,” explaining his or her own biases and opinions on a work. Classic examples of this obstacle could be Ellsworth Toohey (clip) in Ayn Rands, “The Fountainhead,” and Addison DeWitt (clip) in the 1950 film “All About Eve.” Both of these critics are paid by the mainstream to not provide a background, study or explanation of a piece of art, but post their own individual opinion on the piece in order to sway the publics observation of the piece. Both of the above examples were able to boost or ruin an artists work based on Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s idea that, “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
In today’s world, I believe that the only honorable critic is Roger Ebert. Ebert provides context for each film the he reviews as well as explanations and backups for each of the observances that he writes, as opposed to many other critics cowering behind their “four-star,” system.
-Chase
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
propaganda
this image depicts an iconic scene from quentin tarantino's film 'pulp fiction' with samuel jackson and john travolta's characters clutching bananas instead of guns. this mural was destroyed in London circa 2005 authorities gave reason that the painting's "general atmosphere of neglect and social decay which in turn encourages crime".
though i would argue that banksy's intention was not to encourage crime, but to raise awareness of criminal acts with a sense of humor. the guns are bananas. bananas dont kill people. these iconic suave figures are reflections of how glorious/glamorous killing can be. with bananas in hand banksy tells through this piece how comical idolizing crime is. painting over this image, is a silly way of not acknowledging crime's importance in society, and the ignorance of not wanting to share an important message with a community dealing with the issue.
heather hewko
Late Kester Response.
"Hardy and the young prisoners with whom she worked provided Dedeaux's with a kind of therapeutic resource, allowing her to reestablish an ethical equilibrium following gut is empowerment and self-doubt catalyzed by her muggings." p.143
Of course the understanding of art from the outside can always be taken in a extremely critical fashion and without seeing the artwork myself it is hard for me to make any real comment. That said, in Kester's article it was hard to find the real community benefits to the work other than the soothing of the artist's discomforts regarding being mugged
Propaganda, a interesting turn
Mady made it work.
Why are artists responsible for the observer?
Late- Lacy response
Suzanne Lacy, Public art, and the future of humanity
Upset!
Late Suzanne Lacy
Mady's Essay
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
WHAT A RIOT!
Upset
Response to Kester
Community-based public art is universal. Any person can now create art, a picture/video/sound bite can be taken, and it be shared on the web for anyone to stumble across. I get my inspiration for art from the most random sources. I designed a miniature golf hole after seeing some canadian artist warp plywood in sculptures. I thought it would be cool to watch some use that as a mini golf course.
We are a community within a larger community. There is no limit to the extent of art that we are exposed to from any other community in existence.
Written by Marc Chernoff
Response to Lacy
I found this reading to be right dow my alley. I took the reading and had an immediate connection to the idea that the artist is the experiencer. When I create art I do it for myself only. I like to challenge myself. If someone else enjoys it well then good for them. In this world that we live in I have learned to do things for myself. being adopted and from a well off family I have never had to want for anything. I have had things done for me my entire life. Im 21 and in college. Its about time I do things for myself without the consent of others. The entire time I was reading this weeks reading that was all I could think about. I don't think one should concern themselves with what other people think of their art unless they are doing for an individual or a group. Its up to them.
This was written by Marc Chernoff
Upset!
"I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way."
Yes. Right. The kids. What are we teaching/telling kids about politics and the day to day events of the world? No adult outside of government class in high school asked my opinion on the Gulf War, what I thought OJ Simpson's verdict meant to society or if English should be voted as the official language. Where were the grown ups or classes to ignite and cultivate a desire in me to become a responsible citizen, a person capable of criticizing and activating the environment around myself?
But who wants to bring up old, messed up shit? I admit its never the topic of discussion when I'm around kids. I want to ask about their dreams. Tell them how they can reach for the stars. Nobody wants to be Debbie Downer with the trials of the world. But kids are apart of this system just as much as I am, in my limited understanding of it all. And they should be told the truth. Given the facts. Taught how to decipher information. Be asked to explain themselves. We have to be the ones who do this for them. Hell, they might surprise us. Give us insight. Show us a different perspective.
As adults we have to remember to include children in the discussion and interpretation of our society and government because they will be the ones running the shit when we get too old to do anything about it.
What have your told your sibling today?
-isabel
What a Riot!
Its really important to be educating kids about the history of racism in the country – however I’m not sure if I understood the route that they went in the article. Like the article said, some people were worried about the manner in which Schutzman was placing her beliefs in the script. Playing every character and experiencing every angle of the story is a good way to learn and understand more about the situation and humanity itself, and then in turn apply that to their own lives. I agree that “young people can handle difficult material and non-conventional staging”. They didn’t need to be babied, but they do need to understand the process and the importance of what they are doing. I may be misunderstanding, but Schutzman states that the kids participating in the program never really grasped the script or the process. If the main goal for the program is to reach the kids, shouldn’t the ultimate goal be their understanding and not their ability to say the words without fully understanding them? Schutzman quoted Dodge who said “We are indeed practicing propaganda if we don’t inform [the actor] what she is saying, who said it first, why she’s saying it. That kind of educational responsibility is indigenous to this program”. So if the goal is not to release propaganda, and instead to make sure that the participants fully understood what was going on, then that should have been what they were aiming for in the outcome. I appreciate Schutzman’s choice to not “dumb-down” the script but then the main goal should have been to make sure once the complicated material was introduced, the kids knew what they were doing and why they were doing it.
Jenny Curtis
UpSet
What A Riot reading
Reading Mady Schutzman’s What A Riot, made me think how useful it is to place young teenagers in an environment where they have the opportunity to step out of themselves. The age-group of thirteen to seventeen is usually known as a time when one becomes more of an introvert and more reluctant to share one’s thoughts and ideas. From what Mady shared, it seemed to be quite the opposite for the kids in the production of UPSET! And the reason for their willingness to share, I think, has a lot to do with the fact that they were given an opportunity to do so. The most interesting part to me was when Mady described the process of finding the character of Officer Laurence Powell (the officer that delivered the most blows to Rodney King). The fact that these young adults/kids were given the chance to step into the shoes of a “bad person“ and allow themselves to try to understand his thought process really impressed me. It isn’t an easy task to try to see someone, who at first glance seems “bad”, as a human being - and doing that at such an early age is a valuable lesson. I wish I was given that opportunity when I was thirteen.
Upset! ! ! !
Mady's use of the Joker system to tackle such heavy material was quite clever and extremely brave. So often, plays (especially youth plays) done about the topic of race, class, violence, etc. are done in such a non-invasive, "safe" way that the topic is merely gazed at through a glass partition. They end up resembling after-school specials or cheesy anti-drug ads. The Joker system used in this context eradicated this banal approach to such delicate issues and put the onus of tackling these issues in everyone's lap: the audience, actors and even us as the readers (in a rather distant way).
Mady's passion for serving the topic as well as the performers was extremely apparent by the way in which she chose the subjects of the play (Rodney and Claudette) and the care she took to properly research these historical figures and thoroughly inform the students. Yes, the students were being exposed to new, unfamiliar, sometimes scary territory but they were being given an invaluable experience; in a way that they might never have been able to had it not been for Mady's involvement. Not only that but she took great care to show many perspectives and not just a simple biased "Racism is bad, mmkay?" I didn't think it was possible but I think I love Mady even more now than I did and I'm a huge fan ever since 1st yr.
Suzanne Lacy=Art and that one discussion.
What propaganda "is" to me.
Monday, October 24, 2011
belated suzanne lacy response
UPSET! about this reading... I think not.
Upset!
Kester
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Suzanne Lacy Reading
I really enjoyed her statement, "To make oneself a conduit for expression of a whole social group can be an act of profound empathy." While this can also come off to some as extremely presumptuous and perhaps narcissistic, it is nonetheless a beautiful offering and in the end it is what we have to look back on when researching the history of a culture, group or time. The bold ones who cared enough to take it upon themselves to represent are the ones who are remembered.
I appreciated her discussion of the benefits of a fluid, flexible audience; one that is not just watching but is somehow involved. It reminded me of Boal's idea of the "Spectactor" By hosting workshops or allowing audiences to volunteer their involvement in the work, they have a more vested interest in it from that point on, even if they only help once. The trick is to rope in the ones who don't have time to be involved. How can they feel a sense of responsibility while simply watching...maybe it's about giving them more power of interaction and choice.
I really enjoyed how he exposed the weakness of the educational systems we currently use. When described in such an objective way, it really shows how backwards our methods are or at least reveals the more patient, compassionate, inclusive way in which we have evolved as people.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Suzanne Lacy
-Jemar Rovie- Frenchwood
Occupying Our Attention
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Grant Kester
-Jemar Rovie- Frenchwood
These are the images I brought in today for my propaganda piece - I'm really interested in further developing this project into a set of 8-10 posters that the New Works Festival can use to get students excited about this year's festival. Hopefully I'll be printing these up and posting them some time next week!