It's Just My Opinion

by Lon Levin it's just my opinion

chime in on matters I feel strongly about... especially the degradation of our world by leaders who not only will not particpate in the "cleanup" of society's ills but condemn it as "fake news".

Troubled Times Need Artist to Speak Up

I was reading the newspaper recently and I came across a story in the LA Times called "An Artist's Duty To Speak Up" written by Mary Gabriel. The central question in the article is during troubled times what if anything is the duty of an artist?

In Gabriel's piece she states "Artists work in isolation, but they are intrinsically messengers, their works communications." I couldn't agree more. We artists are blessed with talent and vision that allows us to tell stories and illuminate situations with imagery that is universal. If executed well there isn't need for words. And the effect can be powerful.

Perhaps the greatest example of the power of artwork is Picasso's "Guernica", which depicts the Nazi attack on the Basque capital of that name and the first "total" air raid in history. Though it quietly hangs on a museum wall now, the imagery is savage, brutal and without apology. One can only imagine the effect it had on the viewing public in 1937.

These days in the wake of a social media onslaught it's not easy to cut through the clutter. And artists have to make a living. Who has time for personal messages about the state of our world? Well, as a sports coach once told me..."Make time!"

So, what to do?... Each of us have to look within ourselves and question if we are up to the task of creating work that comunicates our deepest feelings and if those feelings are strong enough to make a difference. My answer is if each one of us contributes a little something that speaks to our feelings about the state of humankind and it's surroundings, then the cumulative effect will have weight and power and even possibly create change.