Art Practice Commons^™

“Art As Direct Political Action:” An Investigation Through Case Studies And Interviews, Emily Meinhardt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In 1970, Artforum, an international magazine of contemporary art, conducted a survey of various important artists asking the following question: what is your position regarding the kinds of direct political action that should be taken by artists? The question was asked in relation to the “deepening political crisis in America,” the Vietnam War. The development of television brought images of war into American homes more dramatically and immediately than any previous conflict. Though the war was taking place abroad, the violence was made real to audiences, including artists, many of whom felt pressure to respond to the political situation. Around …