But what is
"political art" and who defines it? In June of 2004 the
New York Foundation for the Arts conducted an online poll concerning people's
attitudes regarding "political art". Of the 3000 or so
individuals who responded, around 69% voted that "political art is
boring", 4% thought "politics should be kept out of art", and
27% appreciated "political art". But today it is
largely market forces that determine the success or failure of art, and who
among us will declare capitalism's various mechanisms to be free of politics? But what about the
transcendent qualities of art, doesn't that universality place the arts soaring
above the corrupt world of politics and the vulgar materialism of society? Yes and no, but
willful unconcern regarding social matters is also
a political position. Edit sample from a
short essay by Mark Vallen at; http://www.art-for-a-change.com/content/essays/political.htm Allan Revich http://www.digitalsalon.com |