Thank you Ruth for this insightful interview with guest Badiucao, his art, and highlighting this avenue of communication, thru the visual arts. So important as most people are visual (learners).
Written, verbal -- the visual sears in our memory. I think back to visual photography (Fall of Saigon, WWII Times Square, 9/11). Political cartoons (also visual) synthesize a current issue, with laughter or satire to help re-establish an affinity with sanity, which is easy with brevity to share and create spaces for conversation, interpretation, discussion.
The poster art is brief, thought provoking, uncomplicated and complicated and therefore memorable. I am glad he was recognized and awarded a most recent award. His steady contribution inspires.
May the earth's creative geniuses churn humanity to more active citizenship and therefore democracy/peace.
Thank you for highlighting visual arts communication for the purpose of democracy.
The true strength of artists like this is that they remind despots that they still can't control what their people think of them. It is an afront, and a threat, to their authority (and likely their ego too). Rulers like this are not leaders, and therefore the only other remedy to this threat is more "Ruling". Hence the need for ever more control.
A good analogy would be a dyke across a stream. The stream will fill it up, but then still go where it wants. So the dyke is replaced by a levee, only to have the same thing happen again. Eventually, it is replaced for a full sized dam, and the same results.
This is unsustainable.
Eventually, the natural flow of the stream will go where it can, and the dam will eventually crack. The chaos is inevitable.
I'm now reminded of an Oriental proverb I learned in a College Philosophy class that sums it up perfectly.
Artificial order resolves into chaos.
Therefore, the imposition of order, is directly proportional to the escalation of chaos.
“A record of formal protest or resistance.” A way to get the truth out. There is a human need to express the unthinkable. To warn others, it can happen to you. Excellent. Thank you Ruth.
What an appropriate "picture" to give of his and others constant battle with the Chinese government for journalistic, artistic, the freedom so speak out or choose to politically dissent to have as his hero "Sisyphus" the mythical King of Ephyra- forced to roll a heavy stone up a mountain as a punishment from Zeus only to have it roll back down to the bottom when he neared the mountain top thereby forcing Sisyphus to start all over again pushing it up the mountain to be repeated throughout eternity.
Clearly the Chinese government is the mountain restricting freedoms of artistic content, speech, and political thinking/activity in opposition to itself and probably always will be - figuratively to eternity - BUT - hopefully like Sisphus and his rock - the artists, journalists, and all those desiring freedom - will keep trying.
Thank you Ruth for this insightful interview with guest Badiucao, his art, and highlighting this avenue of communication, thru the visual arts. So important as most people are visual (learners).
Written, verbal -- the visual sears in our memory. I think back to visual photography (Fall of Saigon, WWII Times Square, 9/11). Political cartoons (also visual) synthesize a current issue, with laughter or satire to help re-establish an affinity with sanity, which is easy with brevity to share and create spaces for conversation, interpretation, discussion.
The poster art is brief, thought provoking, uncomplicated and complicated and therefore memorable. I am glad he was recognized and awarded a most recent award. His steady contribution inspires.
May the earth's creative geniuses churn humanity to more active citizenship and therefore democracy/peace.
Thank you for highlighting visual arts communication for the purpose of democracy.
Thank you Badiucao.
The true strength of artists like this is that they remind despots that they still can't control what their people think of them. It is an afront, and a threat, to their authority (and likely their ego too). Rulers like this are not leaders, and therefore the only other remedy to this threat is more "Ruling". Hence the need for ever more control.
A good analogy would be a dyke across a stream. The stream will fill it up, but then still go where it wants. So the dyke is replaced by a levee, only to have the same thing happen again. Eventually, it is replaced for a full sized dam, and the same results.
This is unsustainable.
Eventually, the natural flow of the stream will go where it can, and the dam will eventually crack. The chaos is inevitable.
I'm now reminded of an Oriental proverb I learned in a College Philosophy class that sums it up perfectly.
Artificial order resolves into chaos.
Therefore, the imposition of order, is directly proportional to the escalation of chaos.
Out of that chaos, comes natural order.
“A record of formal protest or resistance.” A way to get the truth out. There is a human need to express the unthinkable. To warn others, it can happen to you. Excellent. Thank you Ruth.
What an appropriate "picture" to give of his and others constant battle with the Chinese government for journalistic, artistic, the freedom so speak out or choose to politically dissent to have as his hero "Sisyphus" the mythical King of Ephyra- forced to roll a heavy stone up a mountain as a punishment from Zeus only to have it roll back down to the bottom when he neared the mountain top thereby forcing Sisyphus to start all over again pushing it up the mountain to be repeated throughout eternity.
Clearly the Chinese government is the mountain restricting freedoms of artistic content, speech, and political thinking/activity in opposition to itself and probably always will be - figuratively to eternity - BUT - hopefully like Sisphus and his rock - the artists, journalists, and all those desiring freedom - will keep trying.
Thank you, Ruth!
A worthwhile perspective on power in China, thanks RBG!
I admire his dedication and clarity of purpose. Thanks Ruth..