mintgreenelephant
Blog Post 4
6/2/20
The readings both emphasize the importance of using art forms as platforms to advocate for social change. Considering the current protests for justice for George Floyd, these sources provide interesting perspectives of past events and how artist communities responded.
In the liner notes for “Imaginaries,” Martha Gonzalez and Russell Rodriguez explain, "The group Quetzal emerged out of a particularly contentious time in Los Angeles, generated by events such as the 1992 Los Angeles uprising … , the 1994 Proposition 187 campaign … , and the repercussive reach of the Zapatista insurrection in Mexico. These events spurred a powerful synergy, in which avenues of expressive culture such as music and public art emerged as platforms from which to voice marginalized people’s desires, opinions, and resistance to the conditions in which they found themselves" (7). It is powerful to see the impact that groups, like Quetzal, can have on social movements through using their art forms to advocate for change. These words could not be any more relevant today. Artists are using their platforms and art to give a voice to the voiceless and to resist violence against black people.
Similarly, Michelle Habell-Pallán’s “American Sabor” details how young Latin@s in the ‘90’s "balanc[ed] tradition with progressive ideas such as gender equality. They used music and dance to invite participation, to heal themselves and their communities" (279). This quote shows that artists making space for ‘participation’ and ‘heal[ing]’ to occur during times of injustice can be as effective as a method of protest as incorporating progressive ideas into art.
DJ Selections:
I immediately thought of this song after I saw protestors chanting “No justice, No peace” at protests across the US. Not only does Sam Carter scream the same words “no justice, no peace,” the song is incredibly relevant to the current state of the world. Ben Barlow’s vocals depict corruption and violence, urging people to open their eyes to it.
Kendrick Lamar - The Blacker the Berry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdPtVZDspIY
This song is extremely relevant right now as it condemns racism and violence towards African Americans. He brings up institutional racism through lines such as: “You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture” and “Institutionalized manipulation and lies, Reciprocation of freedom only live in your eyes”.
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