Last week we discussed the use of art in protest. Whether intended or not art is always saying something. Purely entertainment art or aesthetic art still carry a message even if it is unintentional. From decorating signs at a protest to creating a piece of work as protest, art and protest have been intertwined. In part two, of the TV documentary series, The First Amendment Project, titled Poetic License, the controversy surrounding Amiri Baraka's poem "Somebody Blew Up America." The focus is placed on whether or not a couple lines in the poem about Israel were antisemitic. It is pretty clear to me that there is a difference between Jewish people and Israelis. And its absolutely clear that the lines in question are not antisemitic. But, there was a hub-bub none the less and the governor of New Jersey, who had named Amiri Baraka state poet laureate, terminated the position as some twisted form of justice to an injustice that wasn't committed.
The man is a poet. A well known "controversial" poet. That's basically his thing. 9/11 happens, he's invited to read a poem and he pisses people off. Its shocking that people were surprised!
Sometimes I wonder if there is an art to protesting art. The whole point of art is expression, yet time and time again some one some where wants to kill some one's expression. More often than not, the actual protest of the art does no serve the interests of the protesters, but instead strengthens the artists expression making it available to more and more people. It makes the protested art 'go viral' to put it in Internet speak. Maybe first amendment smashers are really the biggest trolls of all time working for freedom of speech by pretending to kill it.
Speaking of biggest trolls of all time, I watched Exit Through The Gift Shop this weekend and seriously Mr. Brainwash HAS to be fake. Please. Please be fake. Though the possibility of the chain of events unfolding as described by street artists Banksy and Shepard Fairey makes me feel like magic is real. Maybe I can be a wizard some day after all. I think Mr. Brainwash is elaborate prank-performance art on the global capitalist consumer culture that infects the art world, and every facet of Western society. I wonder how Banksy felt when Angelina Jolie bought one of his pieces for like a-jillion-dollarz.
I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing. Is Banksy pranking us all and making a crap ton of money? What is he using the money for? Are you still a street artist if you're banking, Banksy?
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