Alto al fuego - Cease-fire by Juana Alicia, 1988-2002
Art has a long history of being a voice for enduring issues of culture and politics. That's why the censorship of art is such a controversial subject, because art is an essential part of the freedom to speak, to question, and to protest peacefully. Art is powerful and often communicates far better than any speech or essay could.
Instructions
1. Choose your preferred medium for your art. Will you paint, sculpt, build, sketch? You could take photographs, or make a collage, or etch in wood, metal, or glass. It's best, probably, to start with something you have familiarity with and skill in. You can always expand once you have some basic ideas in place.
2. Choose your basic message for your art. What, in particular, are you protesting about war? The more specific you are, the more powerful your message will be. Think in vivid, concrete terms. If you keep coming up with abstract ideas, like peace, or justice, or equality, think of a way to translate those big ideas into tangible pictures. You can't paint "peace" as an abstract, only as something concrete.
3. Think about your desired reaction when people view your art. Do you want them to be shocked or horrified at the savagery of war? Do you want them to see an idyllic vision? Do you want to inspire or enrage? You can't control what people think and feel when they see your work of art, but you can focus on particular elements over others, and it's best to have a standard by which to make those decisions about focus.
4. Do it. Gather your materials, your inspiration for the basic message, and start creating. Take your time. If you get stuck, take a break for a few hours or a few days. Come back when you're fresh.
5. Find a place to display your art. It could be as simple as hanging it in your front window, or you could search for a gallery, a local cafe, a coffee shop, or a boutique that will display your pieces.
