Making Change: The Art and Craft of Activism
|
|
How do we make change in our world? What tools can we use to make a difference? How can one person raise awareness of social injustice or motivate action that makes the world a better place? Across the nation, artists, designers, and crafters are answering these questions with their hands. They’re harnessing their creativity to address contemporary issues that concern them. They’re making things in order to make a difference.
These makers take the time to sew, knit, throw, quilt, or otherwise create tangible expressions of their beliefs. They do this because they know that sometimes our hands can say things that our voices cannot, that working with our hands helps up process jumbled thoughts, and that creative work can steady us when we feel unsure about things happening around us. These makers also know that the objects they bring into being can speak for them when they are absent or do not feel safe speaking out publicaly. And though the object they create are made with fragile materials like yarn, thread, clay, and textiles, they speak more loudly than tweets made in anger or words spoken with bravado .
All of the artists, designers, and crafters featured in Making Change made an important choice to use their hands to enter into social and political dialogue. As you view their work, you may find yourself asking questions like: “What can I make or design that will have impact on the world? What do I have to say? Are there more meaningful ways in which I can express my beliefs and ideas? As you reflect on these questions, we hope that you will also find a way to express your own thoughts through your own work. We need your voice in this conversation, too.
These makers take the time to sew, knit, throw, quilt, or otherwise create tangible expressions of their beliefs. They do this because they know that sometimes our hands can say things that our voices cannot, that working with our hands helps up process jumbled thoughts, and that creative work can steady us when we feel unsure about things happening around us. These makers also know that the objects they bring into being can speak for them when they are absent or do not feel safe speaking out publicaly. And though the object they create are made with fragile materials like yarn, thread, clay, and textiles, they speak more loudly than tweets made in anger or words spoken with bravado .
All of the artists, designers, and crafters featured in Making Change made an important choice to use their hands to enter into social and political dialogue. As you view their work, you may find yourself asking questions like: “What can I make or design that will have impact on the world? What do I have to say? Are there more meaningful ways in which I can express my beliefs and ideas? As you reflect on these questions, we hope that you will also find a way to express your own thoughts through your own work. We need your voice in this conversation, too.