ART ACTIVISM: NOT JUST VISUAL APPEAL BUT A CATALYST FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

As children, we are always taught to look at something in the world using the 3 Ws- What, When, and Why? So, when the researcher had the opportunity to explore the current role of art in shaping society, she delved deep into it. She questioned what art portrayed to individuals, why people were subconsciously influenced by the art around them, and when was the right time to use this creative tool to make an impact on society. She was pleasantly surprised to learn that even the primal forms of art in history had played an important role in social movements like the outbreak of feminism and political propaganda like war. She wants to explore the positive and negative sway art has over its audience. On an optimistic note, the researcher wants to explore a new model that can revolutionize the scene of social movements – art activism. Artistic Activism is a dynamic practice combining the creative power of the arts to move us emotionally with the strategic planning of activism necessary to bring about social change. The goal of activism is Effect, and the goal of art is Affect- but can these goals intertwine to create something revolutionary? On the pessimistic note, she wants to explore how role stereotypes and the inequality depicted -not only in historic but in also contemporary art- manipulates our perception of the world and contributes to those suffocating labels in society. Can the mere subject of an artistic piece encourage our behaviour towards a certain aspect in society? Through a journey exploring the bane and boon debate of arts temporal power, the researcher hopes to establish its undeniable impact on both society and its individuals.