Art for Social Change
3 01 2008Art is one of the most powerful forces in our society. Art can bring social change and often is a place for advanced and progressive thought. One of my favorite artists has mastered this concept and is creating positive social change in many ways. When the youth was rioting in France and expressing much of its discontent, JR sought to use art and photography to deliver a more truthful vision of the state of the youth in the projects of the Parisian suburbs. There was clearly discontent and anger, which was not hidden in the pictures, but he also showed the more positive elements such as hope and joy, often neglected and destroyed by fear from the rest of society.
His art is more than a picture and in fact became street art. He would post enlarged versions of the pictures on walls of the city where they would be seen by all, taking people out of their daily routines to think and understand what was going on with a portion of the population.
Since this project, he has continued to find ways to use art to bring positive change in our world. Check his site out for more great pictures and projects.
