- Modernism in Latin American and India
In her article, Andrea Giunta presents three distinct strategies that would deconstruct and transgress the narrative of modernity in Latin America. These include the strategy of the inverted map, the strategy of swallowing, and the appropriation of appropriation. In the context of Amaral’s Abaporu, the strategy of swallowing is a metaphor that denotes a nation’s need to extricate itself from the shadows and create itself a new art by devouring a popular culture that stands as its threat. The inverted map strategy, as placed in the context of Torres Garcia, represents changing the perception of southern art such that it is no longer down and north, which represents European art is no longer up. The appropriation strategy placed in Lam’s context means combining different minor elements from various cultures to make a different element that would ensure the changes in terms of influences.
MF Husain’s the spider, and the lamp presents a conscious question of what would be Indian culture as the painting presents a juxtapose of the various diverse elements that one would consider to make up the Indian nation. It is through the presentation of the figures that make up the different religions, poverty and wealth, politics as well as mythologies that it becomes a representation of the Indian people.
- Politically engaged art
In the documentary, the visual strategies that stood out were the interviews as well as the numerous video footages that were pieced together to create meaning. What stood out visually are the interviews as they managed to create the required ambiance that would get hold of one’s attention and direct it to the main topic of discussion. The premise of the director was to present a rather straight forward biography of the individuals fighting against the bigotry that was presented during the outset of the AIDS virus.
The interview on how the Regan administration handled those with the virus by wanting them tattooed as well as the archival footage of those affected by the virus stood out. The juxtaposition of the two clips does create a very heart-wrenching situation where it becomes clear that humanity is all about those having power. The artwork by Gran Fury stood out as an ineffective response as they were more hilarious than serious when tackling the problem of AIDS.
- Challenging Institutional Authority
Conceptual, Fluxus, and performance artists were a group of artists who blurred the distinction between life and art. These artists transformed art from aesthetic objects to ideas of political action. They challenged artistic conventions and institutional authority by:
- Laying the groundwork for both performance as well a conceptual art. This gave artists the idea that art can as well be used as a platform through which political ideas can be communicated
- Transformation of art from a simple object of aesthetic contemplation to an element that can be used as a gesture of political action. This is the reason why political art is now a major movement around the world.
- Taught people the realness of art, this ushered in a new era in art where it can as well be used as a tool for expressionism.
- It defined contemporary art; art now took on a different definition where it can produce meaning from materials.
- It juxtaposed art and life where art became more transitory in that it became more focused on social interactions.
- Abstract Expressionism, Pop, and Minimalism
Within the abstract expressionist movement, women were treated in the same way the general society did treat them, but they did play a crucial role in the movement of the 40s and 50s. Their major role was to bring forward the contrast of themes as men brought on the themes of masculinity; women brought the feminine theme to art that balanced it off. In the history of abstract expressionism, women have been remembered as fundamental components that are used in an attempt to access the unconscious female traits that were in men to allow them to create feminine motifs.
Rasheed Araeen’s work, which is much like the other minimalist artist of his generation, does feature the use of repetitive simple geometric forms such as squares as well as lines. What makes his work different is the fact that his art turns towards political discourse to find its meaning from one perspective, it seems it lacks urgency, but from a political perspective, it does carry meaning.
Works Cited
Giunta, Andrea. Strategies of modernity in Latin America. na, 1996.
Hubbard, Jim, and Ali Cotterill, eds. United in anger: A history of ACT UP. United in Anger, Incorporated, 2014.