The AV Club recently gave us "Total recallin’: 11 worker anthems for Wisconsin’s summer of recalls" which included but one anthem by Cheeseheads - “Imperial Walker” by Milwaukee's IfIHadAHiFi. This got me wondering: where's all the art inspired by the protests this past spring, the recalls, etc.?
The men who hold high places are fucking things up badly so aren't the artists supposed to be forging their creativity in the crucible of union busting, train denying, CEO ass kissing, and education slashing? I'm not expecting everyone to have a turnaround time like Neil Young had with "Ohio", but I just thought there'd be more of a reaction from creative types than I've witnessed.
I don't doubt for a second that artists here in Madison (and elsewhere) have responded to the events in Fitzwalkerstan in their endeavors but where are the fruits of their labors? Do I just miss them? I recall hearing about some songs released when the protests were going on but that trend has apparently died out. I believe there was an exhibition of photos at the Overture Center with a labor or union theme not too long ago. So where's Broom Street Theater's take on all of this? I go to coffeeshops occasionally but have yet to see art relating to the protests. Hell, maybe I just go to the wrong cafes. When was the last time a local muso wrote a song about unions or how heinous Scott Walker is? Has Fabu written a series of poems about the events here?
Granted, I'm a pretty middlebrow kind of guy but I think I pay a fair amount of attention to what's happening in Madison's art scene. To me, it feels like all the energy from tens of thousands of protesters dispersed at some point in a big exothermic POOF! and went back to iPods or Glee or whatever it is that people do these days when they're not protesting.
6 comments:
Here's another photography show: http://www.cpmad.org/content/signs-protest-special-juried-exhibition-cpm But yeah.
Thanks. Looks interesting.
This was something I just came up with today and was told to forward to you. Not sure about copyright infringement however: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=723243808648&set=o.183261965038163&type=1&ref=nf
I was thinking perhaps a standardized format and a sanctioned event might spur some interest. Kinda like the painted cows around town a few years back; but in this case it would be paintings/drawings/photos cropped in the shape of Wisconsin. They could be exhibited at various coffee shops & galleries for a month or two, then auctioned off. The proceeds could go towards arts programs in the state that have seen their funding slashed.
".. So where's Broom Street Theater's take on all of this?."
Right here.
http://bstonline.org/bst/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32:mrdumpty&catid=16&Itemid=47
Anon - thanks for pointing that out. I presume that was posted very recently. Good to see.
James - I think that's a good idea. But I'd like to see more out on the streets. Anti-Walker cows?
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