Art, artists and activism

Fundamental to sustainability is diversity. Why is a forest sustainable? It is because there are so many species in it, and even more different beneficial relationships between the species. The moment it becomes a monoculture, it is not sustainable any more. One bug can wipe it out. The same goes for society: there isn't one sustainable model.

There are many, and all of them are bound by the context of their culture. For us, sustainability is not only about ecological sustainability, but about human sustainability as well. You can't have one without the other. Permaculture is a holistic view that helps one navigate the present crisis of our culture.

- John Jordan

The word art can describe several things: a study of creative skill, a process of using the creative skill, a product of the creative skill, or the audience's experience with the creative skill. Art is something that stimulates an individual's thoughts, emotions, beliefs, or ideas through the senses.

It is also an expression of an idea and it can take many different forms and serve many different purposes. Although the application of scientific knowledge to derive a new scientific theory involves skill and results in the "creation" of something new, this represents science only and is not categorised as art.

Art encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, photography, sculpture, and paintings. The meaning of art is explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics, and even disciplines such as history and psychology analyse its relationship with humans and generations. Traditionally, the term art was used to refer to any skill or mastery.

This conception changed during the Romantic period, when art came to be seen as a special faculty of the human mind to be classified with religion and science.

Generally, art is made with the intention of stimulating thoughts and emotions.

The nature of art has been described as "one of the most elusive of the traditional problems of human culture". It has been defined as a vehicle for the expression or communication of emotions and ideas; a means for exploring and appreciating formal elements for their own sake; and, as mimesis or representation. Leo Tolstoy identified art as a use of indirect means to communicate from one person to another.

Art expresses emotions, and the work of art therefore essentially exists in the mind of the creator. Works of art worldwide can tell stories or simply express an aesthetic truth or feeling. It is also said that: art is the means by which a community develops for itself a medium for self-expression and interpretation.

From time immemorial; starting with the mythological period of Ravana; and surmising from the heritage of our past; Sri Lanka has been a fountain of art blessed with artists and artisans of talent. Though these artists were faceless and nameless, they left us a proud heritage.

By temperament, our people tend to love and cherish those who have the creative ability. This, of course, was only till about the 70's. Since the mid seventies, the course changed.

Art became a commodity for trade. Artists and artisans were also for sale along with their mediocre talents.

As the focus shifted from creative talent to trade, the quality of our artists and artisans too became inferior; and, mediocrity became the hallmark of the so-called artists and artisans.

Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economical or environmental change.

Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronising businesses, rallies, street marches, strikes, sit-ins, and hunger strikes. Some activists try to persuade people to change their behaviour directly, rather than to persuade governments to change laws.

The cooperative movement seeks to build new institutions which conform to cooperative principles, and generally does not lobby or protest politically.

The activist is a specialist or an expert in social change.

To think of yourself as being an activist means to think of yourself as being somehow privileged or more advanced than others in your appreciation of the need for social change, in the knowledge of how to achieve it and as leading or being in the forefront of the practical struggle to create this change.

In many countries of the world, artists are in the forefront of activism - not for personal gain as in Sri Lanka, but because they believe in the cause and are willing to lead the charge. They are aware that the real seeds for revolutionary changes can grow in artistic practices. However, trade having replaced talent; insignificance substituting for significance; bumming being the only creative ability exhibited; activism for the so-called artist of today is all about playing out the political pantomime.

However, most activists tend to think that mere facts and figures will bring people into action. They realise not, that most people don't act because they do not know how bad things are. Facts and figures alone don't necessarily bring people into action.

What motivates people to want to change themselves, their own everyday life, and also the world around them, is a sense of hope, a fantasy of what things 'could be like'. Dreams and desires are what make you get off your bum and do things.

In these difficult times when life is a struggle to keep living; as artists we need to apply creativity to radical politics, because there could be forms of terrifying authoritarianism around the corner, arising from the economic and ecological meltdowns.

Sustainability could be used to call for nationalism, protecting land for the nation, and for xenophobia and the further rise of fear. As artists we have to work against this drift. For us, activism is a map to help us in the fog of the future.

For us, it is about giving to our people a sense of collective creativity, enabling them to believe that you can be creative collectively without any hierarchy, using consensus methods.

It is also about making them understand that disobedience is not necessarily frightening, and reminding them that everything that we take for granted - whether it is women wearing trousers, contraception, an eight-hour working day, the week-end or gay rights - was gained because people disobeyed. In the art world, people disobey the cultural cannons, but social change happens when you refuse normality, when you disobey in the real world.

I believe, aesthetics are about the capacity to really feel the world, to sense it with our bodies, to be deeply aware.

For me, art is simply paying attention. In Buddhism one might call it mindfulness; neuroscientists call it direct experience; and Christians might call it contemplation.

It's about being in the present, a place of absolute freedom, and doing everything in the best way we can.

That's what I call aesthetic and ethic. See you this day next week. Until then, keep thinking, keep laughing. Life is mostly about these two actions.

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