Event #3 | Xtine Burrough | Maya Srinivasan

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 The event I attended this week, hosted by Xtine Burrough, talked about the importance of artistic communities for social change. In her book (a collaboration with Judy Walgren), Art As Social Practice, she explains that art can bring together individuals to "raise consciousness and bring forth social impact" (Burrough).  In my opinion, this is an extremely important topic to discuss. Many people view art at face value, rather than truly understanding the underlying meanings beneath particular pieces. When speaking about topics such as unequal power structures in society, art can "reflect the structures around us" becoming a form of "social currency" (Bruguera). 


One artist in this presentation, Margaretha Haughwout, really stood out to me. Her work, Coven Intelligence Program, is a "revolutionary, anti-capitalist alliance among witches, plants, and machines" (YCBA). They combine technology, nature, and art within this piece of work in order to bring communities together to fight various injustices throughout our society. Through the use of algorithmic weaving patterns and ecological networks, they want to teach machines to recognize various damaging patterns. Because of this piece, Haughwout has been able to shed awareness on racism, ecological destruction, and the harmful effects of capitalism. 



Today's event was truly enlightening and displayed some of the overlooked characteristics of artwork. Art is not merely meant to be seen; it should be understood and shared. Through some research, I found a foundation dedicated to using art as a means of social change. The Leeway Foundation strives to "raise consciousness, create a vision of a more just world, and challenge oppression" (Leeway Foundation). I would definitely be more interested in exploring this topic further, and I would recommend my classmates to watch this lecture as well. I also believe it will be a source of inspiration for the final project, as it is insanely thought-provoking.


Proof of attendance:



References:

Bruguera, Tania. “The Art of Social Change.” Tate, 2019, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-social-change. 

Burrough , Xtine, et al. “Art as Social Practice .” 18 May 2022. 

Haughwout, Margaretha. “After Life: Coven Intelligence Program.” YBCA, 22 Dec. 2020, https://ybca.org/after-life-coven-intelligence-program/. 

Leeway Foundation. “How Does Leeway Define Art for Social Change?” Leeway Foundation, 2022, https://www.leeway.org/grants/how_does_leeway_define_art_for_social_change/. 

Walgren, Judy, and xtine burrough. “Introduction: Xtine Burrough, Judy Walgren: Taylor & Francis Group.” Taylor & Francis, Taylor & Francis, 7 Mar. 2022, https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003169109-1/introduction-xtine-burrough-judy-walgren. 

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