Reclaiming a social agenda - Essay Example

Reclaiming a Social Agenda The nature of aesthetic theory and artistic practices is a broad and nearly all encompassing Still, recent shifts in both sociopolitical concerns and broader artistic means of expression have increasingly witnessed artistic practices that seek to enact social change or a ‘activist’ agenda. Within this context of understanding, there exist a variety of different approaches. This essay examines the intent and strategies used in the activist practice and the strengths and weakness of this practice.

One of the primary means the intent and strategies of activist practice have been implemented through the self-reflexive consideration of the artistic medium. In this context of understanding one of the major considerations is the dichotomy between art and science. Whereas science functions to question existing paradigms in a generally progressive way, aesthetic practice “begins answer, by reinventing itself, by building upon a past principle and ethical relationship” (Mockbee, pg. 2). When one considers this approach in terms of activist practice it’s clear that the parallel is that social or community change can occur through the complete re-imagination of the status quo.

One recommended example of this perspective is in considered in rural Alabama, where theorist Mockbee argues that a harmonious architecture that brings together both disenfranchised and wealthy must be implemented. In addition to the above-considered abstract intents of activist practice, there are a number of clear strategic examples that have emerged. From an overarching perspective, it’s noted that many semblances of, “communities in the process of creating and sustaining their cultural identities by designing and often rebuilding their own world” (Ward, pg. 56). In this context of understanding, it’s seen how the traditional artistic means of re-imagination have emerged and been implemented in communities that previously experienced significant blight and hardship.

In terms of specific case examples, it’s noted that the Pratt Institute Center for Community and Environmental Development (PICCED) is one such emergence of strong activist architecture. When considering the weaknesses of activist practice, it’s clear that recent rejections of activist forms of architecture represent a significant concern. In this context of understanding, theorists have referred to what is known as the post-political concern. In characterizing this post-political turn it’s been noted that, “Not only have American architectural efforts in the last fifty years been largely aesthetic exercises, but they also have flirted only briefly with the political – and then only in symbolic form” (Gamez, pg. 2). In these regards, it’s clear that one of the major weaknesses of activist architecture has been its flaccid implementation in real world contexts.

In conclusion, this essay has examined the intent and strategies used in the activist practice and the strengths and weakness of this practice. Within this context of understanding it’s demonstrated that in great part artistic strategy in the activist context works to re-imagine the social and community structure. Still, there is the pervasive weakness of the real world implementation of these theoretical practices. ReferencesGamez, Jose. An Architecture of Change. Mockbee, Samuel. The Role of the Citizen Architect.

Ward, Anthony. Suppression of the Social in Design: Architecture as War.