tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-284907023090546256.post6741597381369051148..comments2023-10-18T07:31:48.953-04:00Comments on Convergence: Art and Faith: What gives anyone the right to say anything?Convergencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10965119850917228605noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-284907023090546256.post-23427796339430562742008-02-15T07:27:00.000-05:002008-02-15T07:27:00.000-05:00Lisa,I hope that artists are allowed to speak out,...Lisa,<BR/><BR/>I hope that artists are allowed to speak out, and create art that speaks to, about, for, in the midst of, against, etc. the political milieus of our time. i would argue that while there is no set of objective standards to gauge whether or not the artist speaks "authentically" or in a way that will necessarily impact every viewer/reader (etc.), to not speak would or worse (since i'm not a great artist) to not listen, because someone is a celebrity, or is perceived to be less qualified would seem to be a wrong turn.<BR/><BR/>and if art is unable to speak into the situations of our day, who can?Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00296019279713284579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-284907023090546256.post-1374942598480405842008-02-11T00:15:00.000-05:002008-02-11T00:15:00.000-05:00oooh lisa you've hit on issues I've been wondering...oooh lisa you've hit on issues I've been wondering about for the past few days. i think the artist does have a role in shaping our political consciousness. however, it's so easy to marginalize both artistic modes of speaking and the validity of artists' voices for a variety of reasons.<BR/><BR/>First off, there's this whole democratic ideal that affirms everyone's right and responsibility to speak and contribute to the national dialogue, but then an inherent contradiction in the recognition that not everyone will speak up, is informed about what they say, and that some have mroe influence than others. So we find it offensive when someone who is no more of an expert than we are - no more qualified (we like to believe) to represent a cause than we are - who is able to do so "merely" because they have achieved some level of fame. that's the angelina situation, right?<BR/><BR/>And we make that judgment because we see her primarily as an entertainer. We either see a distinction between art and entertainment (and value art mroe than entertainment) or make them out to be the same thing. Both are problematic because if we view entertainment as something which collectively dumbs us down or numbs us to the ills of the world, we see entertainers as political activists being some kind of hypocrisy. On the other hand, if we view the arts as something that should lift us above our everyday condition, we also make it so irrelevant that the artists have no voice.<BR/><BR/>But I think there is space in the everyday entertainment we seek out and in transcendent, sublime works of "art" to be prophetic and speak about the everyday condition as it is and how it can be.Elise Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03468709104900148330noreply@blogger.com