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"Inside
the Culture of Resistance" is an ongoing series of video-taped
one-on-one discussions between socially conscious artists
who have made pioneering contributions in a variety of artistic
mediums, including theater, film, visual arts, literature,
music, dance and spoken word.
The
conversations are held in a theater or performance space in
front of a live audience with a Q&A following the interview.
The conversations explore the vexing problems that confront
artists who are creating ÷ and working to bring to a broad audience
÷ art that resists today's mean-spirited political climate and
celebrates the resiliency of the people.
The conversations focus on how the artists develop their work,
who they see as their audience, and how they seek to connect
with them. The interviews examine the artist's history and
relationship to their art form, as well as questions of subject
matter, aesthetics and technique.
Today,
a growing number of artists are creating work that contributes
to a culture that examines and challenges the hypocrisies,
prejudices, assumptions and power relationships of the status
quo. But there are few opportunities for in-depth, public
discussion of these issues. The live taping of Inside the
Culture of Resistance interviews provide a venue for artists
to discuss among themselves and with the public a whole range
of matters thrown up by making art that challenges the social
norms.
For
example, how do artists learn and hone their craft while continuing
to develop a deeper understanding of the people and contradictions
they explore and express in their art? It takes courage to
go against the tide in the artistic arena. The interviews
present the different roads these artists have pioneered to
create their work and get it past the barricades so it can
reach the large audience that actually exists for such art.
In
the process, the series helps carve out more space here and
now for the voices of compassion and resistance to be heard.
The conversations are videotaped and are being edited into
30-minute video programs. Film clips, slides and performance,
are included in the session and the video-taped programs.
The
Artists Network plans to broadcast the individual programs
on television and through webcasts, as well as distribute
them to high schools, universities and art centers.
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