After spending some time reviewing and thinking about my art practice of the last few years, during which I tried a lot of different things and learned much, but was consequently a little all over the place, I’ve clarified what I plan to focus on for the coming year (or more): Affirmations for Revolution.
I’d like the project to consolidate some thoughts based on my experiences and observations from decades of being involved in collective political initiatives and making art.
My intention currently is to articulate an overarching conceptual framework (worldview) using art with accompanying short texts. There will be different groups of image/text pieces digging into topics like economics, politics, culture, class struggle, emancipation, blahbity blah — plus sub-topics galore.
I’ve tried writing a lot of this out before, but all the overlapping facets and looping trails of logic have been too overwhelming and I’ve gotten bogged down, lost. I have a hard time with long forms of writing. Maybe breaking it down into little chunks will help me sort it out. We’ll see!
Ideas about these topics are constantly appearing and evolving in my mind, so whatever I write/paint/draw isn’t meant as a prescription for anyone else. But I want to share as a way to connect (which is one major purpose of making art) and in case they may be useful to others. We all shape culture by whatever we do and say; I’d like my small contribution to be intentional as much as possible. Or maybe the process will be interesting. Feel free to take whatever resonates with you, and leave the rest.