All Art Is Political - A sticker mapping experiment
All art is political. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying or too naive about politics or art to have much of an opinion on either.
Now liars are morally inexorable; we should not waste our time on those intellectually immovable objects like some art school Sisyphus. But naïveté is grounded in a lack of understanding, of experience. As it’s not necessarily rooted in a lack of morality, we can help to fill that lack, to negate that lack, to build a little art studio upon its former void where we all read critical theory and hug.
A lack is something one can work with, and as an artist I like things I can work with. So here goes nothing…
In 2018 I paid 100 or so dollars to print an overly snarky banner about Burning Man art. People at the event wanted to talk to me about it. A lot. I will admit, I probably hid from as many of them as I engaged with. If you were one of them -- sorry?
The banner was meant to push buttons but was also based on my very sincere feelings on the creation and consumption of art. As the great Toni Morrison said, “I’m not interested in art that is not in the world.” I see so much art trying to achieve escape velocity from this world’s gravity, launching itself as if it were a billionaire into the void of pure aesthetics beyond. I want nothing more than to lash that sentiment to the earth in chains so heavy it will never fly again. And this sentiment is hardly unique or original to any one art discipline or scene or venue. I see it echoing through museums and galleries, community spaces and favored street art spots. A metallic and hollow ringing. The sound of empty platitudes about art for art’s sake and the value of craft over concept and it is oh so very, very boring.
So I productionized the banner. Turned it into stickers (and patches) for sale on Etsy and encouraged buyers to help me identify and map the locations they ended up in. Crowdsourcing snark, but also crowdsourcing a lesson in art theory and the need to consider the audience least the audience consider you in less than aesthetic means.
Launched in December of 2021 this sticker hunt mapping experiment is very much ongoing!
How to participate in the Sticker Hunt and add items to the map
Place on your property or on property you have permission to sticker.
Post to Instagram, including the location and the hashtag #allartispoliticalhunt.
We’ll feature you on our Instagram and add your sticker to the map.
Not on Instagram? Fill out this form instead.
