Wikipedia's article "The Federal Theater Project" impacted me the most. The TFP could have been controversial, but it gave underrepresented and unpopular artists jobs and opportunities. Additionally, through theater, art became more accessible to those who wished to directly engage with it and those who did not.
Art not being funded is not only something that only happened in the past or that only happens now it is something that has been always happening, especially when it criticizes those in power. With this in mind, I have been thinking more and more about the ways people perform for social change, and how many of those times they do it without any type of funding or "real" stage.
These readings brought me back to my first year writing seminar where we could discuss these types of performances, the one where you did not need a stage to perform. We watched this video in that class, and I was reminded of it while doing the readings. This video shows a group of people protesting for women's rights. I remember that when we watched this video, we had a conversation about the behind the scenes and how time consuming it actually is. First they had to learn the chant and then the steps, but they also had to practice everything as a group. What makes this truly interesting to me is the fact that they were performing in front of multiple government buildings. Going back to the reading, this is not something that would have been funded to put in a "real" stage mainly because it criticizes the government. Even at the end, you can see how they were being tear-gassed to make them stop. It was not in the government's interest for these people to speak up, just like it is not for their interest for other's to have the opportunity to express themselves through art.
Great observations and examples, Estefania! I love the recognition of how protest performances like those staged by Colectivo Las Tesis require logistical support--they do not appear out of nowhere, even if they sometimes seem to. Do you think it's possible to have a theatre or performance art that is BOTH supported by the state or corporations AND challenges the status quo? Does that support always already compromise the goals of performance for social change?
ReplyDelete