Month: March 2024

Throughout my own private journey of political thought the place social media has in “the revolution” (this is how I will refer to my ideal end goal of peace, community and the end of discrimination as I see possible.) is something I’ve spent time pondering. I think that social media movements and participating in them ultimately have one solid purpose: showing solidarity. I am reminded of the song “The Revolution Will not be Televised” by Gil Scott-Heron though when I think of any actual real world application of these methods. The reason “Love” despite its political intention by that of the artist could not prosper in being a good revolutionary tool is that it was too performative. Much like acts of solidarity on social media it is done often with good intention and is not inherently evil or wrong. It is my feeling however that the word as an emblem of peace encourages feelings of joy and togetherness while not expressly cutting ties with those that work directly against peace. Works like the “AIDS” piece are much more powerful expressly because of the way they alienate those who fear the queer community and subsequently aids victims. Today if this piece was posted to social media however it would likely be censored. For marginalized groups peace is not possible when powerful groups exclude them, we cannot spoon feed “peace” to those who won’t face their sins. Revolution in my eyes is not possible through social media, “The Revolution will not be Televised” and it will take the active role of those who are able to band together and remind those who are supposedly in power that the real power lies in the people. In conclusion, the “AIDS” piece would not be as powerful through social media today as it was on the streets and in the hands of the people throughout this history.

Barbara Kruger

Jenny Holzer

General Idea

See also:

Art Metropole – multiples online shop
Printed Matter – editions catalog

Artist Buttons

“Since the 1950’s artists have been making inexpensive, accessible works in a series/edition intended for wider distribution than singular objects in museums. These have served to critique commercial/market aspects of the art world, and the myth of an expensive “original.” Artist multiples have been made as prints, small manufactured sculptures, pins, artist books, magazines, postcards, t-shirts, zines and other commercially reproducible media. They are sometimes given away for free, traded or sold for low cost in bookstores, independent art galleries, libraries, convenience stores, activists’ gatherings, and more.
Artist multiples are sometimes playful and mischievous – exploring new and surprising manifestations of commercial media – and often convey ideas and meaning against expected commercial, social, and political goals.”
-from Diane Borsato’s Experimental Studio I blog