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Art and Upheaval: Artists on the World's Frontlines
Citizen artists successfully rebuild the social infrastructure in six communities devastated by war, repression and dislocation.
Author William Cleveland tells remarkable stories from Northern Ireland, Cambodia, South Africa, United States (Watts, Los Angeles), aboriginal Australia, and Serbia, about artists who resolve conflict, heal unspeakable trauma, give voice to the forgotten and disappeared, and restitch the cultural fabric of their communities.
Art can be a powerful agent of personal, institutional and community change. The stories in this book have valuable implications for artists, academics, educators, human service providers, philanthropists, and community leaders throughout the world. The artists documented in the book have generated new technologies for advocacy, organizing, peacemaking, healing trauma and the rebuilding of community. Creativity is our most powerful capacity, and it can mitigate and heal our most destructive tendencies.
Author William Cleveland tells remarkable stories from Northern Ireland, Cambodia, South Africa, United States (Watts, Los Angeles), aboriginal Australia, and Serbia, about artists who resolve conflict, heal unspeakable trauma, give voice to the forgotten and disappeared, and restitch the cultural fabric of their communities.
Art can be a powerful agent of personal, institutional and community change. The stories in this book have valuable implications for artists, academics, educators, human service providers, philanthropists, and community leaders throughout the world. The artists documented in the book have generated new technologies for advocacy, organizing, peacemaking, healing trauma and the rebuilding of community. Creativity is our most powerful capacity, and it can mitigate and heal our most destructive tendencies.
- GenresArt
332 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 1, 2021
What is the power of art? Can art really make a difference in a community? Can it make a difference for those going through troubled times?
If you would have asked me those questions prior to reading Art and Upheaval I would responded hesitantly, saying that art is beautiful, but I'm not sure if it is something that can change lives. After reading this book though, I have been convinced of the importance of art and its power when it is used by citizens of a community to communicate ideas that will foster healing and unity.
Art and Upheaval is split into six sections, each of which discusses a geographic area which has dealt with some form of hardship, and then follows the actions and art of those in that area, reflecting on how that art has changed and helped those communities. The geographic areas and the hardships faced are quite diverse.
In Northern Ireland a community comes together to support a play about a mixed marriage in which the play moves through a community, crossing back and forth between the Catholic and Protestant areas of town. In Cambodia artists set out to recreate their history through art after the losses from the Khmer Rouge. In South Africa artists set out to address both the issues of apartheid and AIDS. In America the Watts Prophets inspire with group performance poetry. In Australia theater is used as a means to communicate the effects of nuclear testing on unknowing military men and the aborigines, in hopes that the government will finally take responsibility for their actions. In Serbia a theater group responded to the war by acting in the streets.
Each chapter follows the artists from the creation of their idea through its implementation, and shows how they managed to create art in spite of hardship, and in many cases government opposition. Their stories are truly inspirational, and I learned a lot about the culture and history of the people in the process of reading about their creations.
While this does read as more of a textbook, and I wish that there were a lot more photos of the art and performances (all photos are black and white), the stories were both informative and touching. A few of the stories brought me to tears, especially those of the survivors of the nuclear testing in Australia.
I highly recommend this book if you have any interest in community art and performance, especially as a means to help others cope with difficult circumstances.
If you would have asked me those questions prior to reading Art and Upheaval I would responded hesitantly, saying that art is beautiful, but I'm not sure if it is something that can change lives. After reading this book though, I have been convinced of the importance of art and its power when it is used by citizens of a community to communicate ideas that will foster healing and unity.
Art and Upheaval is split into six sections, each of which discusses a geographic area which has dealt with some form of hardship, and then follows the actions and art of those in that area, reflecting on how that art has changed and helped those communities. The geographic areas and the hardships faced are quite diverse.
In Northern Ireland a community comes together to support a play about a mixed marriage in which the play moves through a community, crossing back and forth between the Catholic and Protestant areas of town. In Cambodia artists set out to recreate their history through art after the losses from the Khmer Rouge. In South Africa artists set out to address both the issues of apartheid and AIDS. In America the Watts Prophets inspire with group performance poetry. In Australia theater is used as a means to communicate the effects of nuclear testing on unknowing military men and the aborigines, in hopes that the government will finally take responsibility for their actions. In Serbia a theater group responded to the war by acting in the streets.
Each chapter follows the artists from the creation of their idea through its implementation, and shows how they managed to create art in spite of hardship, and in many cases government opposition. Their stories are truly inspirational, and I learned a lot about the culture and history of the people in the process of reading about their creations.
While this does read as more of a textbook, and I wish that there were a lot more photos of the art and performances (all photos are black and white), the stories were both informative and touching. A few of the stories brought me to tears, especially those of the survivors of the nuclear testing in Australia.
I highly recommend this book if you have any interest in community art and performance, especially as a means to help others cope with difficult circumstances.
May 2, 2009
These are remarkable stories of artists creating under difficult social and political circumstances. The political struggles that inspire the work range from "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland, to South Africa's fight against apartheid, to the aftermath of the Watts Rebellion(s), to anti-nuclear protest and culture clash in Australia, to war in Bosnia. Each story brings inspiring art (drama, painting, writing) into a powerful focus.
October 7, 2009
REVIEW BY Elizabeth Castonguay
From the Foreword to the last word, we are challenged by the angst and injustice of life while being compelled to view a group of ‘Defenders’ who often reveal the plight of those who are downtrodden or persecuted. These advocates or defenders of the reviled are the artists of past and present that have shed light on injustice sometimes by risking their own safety and always their own pocketbook. This book should be a manual for art of the twenty–first century where revered art would be ‘art for our sake’ – poignant, reflective, even life altering. In a world torn with inequities for both humanity and our environment , let’s not turn to our armies to fight injustice but to that spirit which has the power to reveal and heal – the artist within each of us.
MORE: http://www.urbanartantiques.com/2009/...
From the Foreword to the last word, we are challenged by the angst and injustice of life while being compelled to view a group of ‘Defenders’ who often reveal the plight of those who are downtrodden or persecuted. These advocates or defenders of the reviled are the artists of past and present that have shed light on injustice sometimes by risking their own safety and always their own pocketbook. This book should be a manual for art of the twenty–first century where revered art would be ‘art for our sake’ – poignant, reflective, even life altering. In a world torn with inequities for both humanity and our environment , let’s not turn to our armies to fight injustice but to that spirit which has the power to reveal and heal – the artist within each of us.
MORE: http://www.urbanartantiques.com/2009/...
April 17, 2009
“It’s the most important time to create things when things are being destroyed.”- Sanja Tasic
I was a bit daunted when I picked this book up from the library; it looked so much like a textbook that I was sure I was not going to be able to get through it before the due date. But, in addition to being well organized and well researched like a textbook, it was also very readable. The book followed different works of art in different countries- plays in Ireland, Australia and Serbia, art exhibitions and dance in Cambodia, spoken word in the United States, and print in South Africa.
I was a bit daunted when I picked this book up from the library; it looked so much like a textbook that I was sure I was not going to be able to get through it before the due date. But, in addition to being well organized and well researched like a textbook, it was also very readable. The book followed different works of art in different countries- plays in Ireland, Australia and Serbia, art exhibitions and dance in Cambodia, spoken word in the United States, and print in South Africa.
February 25, 2012
A splendid introduction to art and social advocacy/change around the world. This volume is heavily oriented to theater workers and companies, yet includes visual artists. A pain, inspiring, and ultimately, profoundly hopeful, volume.
Currently reading
January 10, 2009I went to a reading for this book for a college course. If this book is half as engaging and brilliant as the man who wrote it, I'll be very happy.
January 4, 2013
William Cleveland is an amazing guy with brilliant ideas.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews