How do artists work to affect social change? Has Dead Man Walking made you question ideas you once had about the death penalty? If so, how? Do you believe that plays and movies can ultimately change how you feel about an important universal question?
I believe that movies/plays/art can at least prompt thought (and challenge previously held notions), and have the possibility to change one's viewpoints. Therefore, artists can effect social change among other aspects of life. Artists work to affect social change by addressing relevant issues (either directly, or presenting ideals that are lacking) in their piece.
ReplyDeleteExamples of this are:
1) By Emory Douglas
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2299/2393358947_c350dc5732.jpg
http://img.scoop.co.nz/stories/images/0909/dont_support_the_gre.jpeg
Through is art, Douglas supports social/political change by depicting what is wrong. In this case: businesses controlling the government and the need to help the poor rather than help the rich get richer.
2) Theodore Gericault - "Raft of the Medusa"
http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/28/67928-004-9567195C.jpg
Gericault depicts an actual event (1816 shipwreck). The artist was an abolisionist, so he placed a black soldier not only as a survivor, but also the man standing higher than anyone else. It challenged the social conventions of the day.
3) Judy Chicago - "The Dinner Party" (made in 1979)
http://www.sofaexpo.com/chicago/2005/img/special/release/12_Judy_Chicago_dinner_party_full3.jpg
Chicago wanted to depict the role of women throughout history and to have the viewer gain a greater respect of women and their accomplishments. Originally there was supposed to be only 13 honored guests ,referring to not only the Last Supper but also a witches' coven (witchcraft= worshiping females). The floor is covered with 999 additional women that were honored. It calls the viewer to remember women's contributions, and to address feminist concerns.
The movie has not really made me question the death penalty mainly because I already believed that it was wrong before starting it. If anything, the movie reinforced my beliefs.
I think that movies, plays, tv shows, etc. can change the way that some people feel about a topic or issue. Movies I think especially have the ability to sway a person's viewpoint on a topic. They allow people to be drawn in into the story of an individual or several people and how they deal with a specific issue. The way that the story and the issue is depicted is what sways people from one side to another.
ReplyDeleteArtists work to affect social change in many different ways as Jacqui has stated above. They work in organizations, in ads, in movies such as Dead Man Walking, and even through song.
In Dead Man Walking, We see the story of Poncelet and the crimes that he has "supposedly" committed. We go through the movie struggling to decide which side we are on. Are we on the side of the parents of the children who have been killed or are we on the side of the killer who is constantly stating his innocence? I think that a person can go into this movie on a certain side and be either swayed stronger onto the side the came in on or swayed to the other side. It depends all upon what they read into it. When Poncelet explains that he actually did commit the crime, I can see many people who were for him not being killed switching to thinking the Death Penalty is in fact okay. I think this movie had the ability to change peoples opinions on the topic because it brought out the emotions and the personal struggle it takes into actually executing the Death Penalty.
Personally, I wasn't really questioning my viewpoint on the death penalty while watching this movie. This movie made me think about it though. It allowed me to see the other side and how the Death Penalty can be wrong. This movie made me see that the way they go about killing these criminals is wrong. I think we should go about a more humane way. Yes, killing these people is only doing the same thing they did to their victims, I think that person is able to harm someone so badly that they should not be able to be around to harm anyone else.
Like Shannon and Jacqui, I believe artists work on promoting the awareness needed for social change. Through movies, art pieces, plays, novels, t.v. shows, etc., artists capture the audience's attention on a certain issue or issues. The artists then give the audience the experience or enlightenment needed to evoke deeper thoughts on the controversial issue. By experience, the audience can be moved to action and demand social change. Jacqui mentions three very different artists who produce works that evoke deeper thoughts on the status quo. Things works give people the incentive and drive to push for social change and seek justice.
ReplyDeleteThe movie Dead Man Walking let me experience the cruelty and harshness of the death penalty. Throughout the entire movie, I could not figure out whose side I was on. I really wanted to believe that Poncelet was innocent, and all conflict could be avoided. Watching him interact with Sister Helen and his family, I wished no harm to be done to him. However, I felt anger towards the being who commited such a heinous crime. My heart went out to the victim's families who suffered greatly. I was shocked and horrified at the end of the movie when Poncelet admits he committed the crime, a flashback shows the crime, and he is executed by lethal ejection. After watching the lethal injection, I instantly thought of it to being similar to putting an animal down. It saddened me that we would dispose human life so easily and without significance. I felt it was interesting to note that Poncelet's death did not allievate the victims' parents' suffering. His death only brought about much more pain, loss, and suffering to Poncelet's family and friend (sister Helen).
I now view the death penalty very differently. Before watching this movie, I never really thought twice about the death penalty. It never crossed my mind that the policy should or could be changed. After seeing this movie, I now view the death penalty as inhumane and maybe even a form of torture. This movie did change how I ultimately feel on this contraversial issue.