Art and politics

Abstract

Art and politics are strongly intertwined. Being a vocal medium for personal expression, art reflects a particular stance or ideology. Creativity implies novelty which in turn promotes change. All works of art can thus be considered as political in nature. This is more so for politically charged works, which intrinsically aim to act as a catalyst for change. While art has historically been utilised by avant-garde artists and activists to promote progressive social change, it has also been used by those in power to consolidate the status quo. The recognition that all 'art is political' thus enables greater appreciation of the aesthetics, rationale, contextual background and impact of a particular work of art.