Real Courage
A recent post was about the courage to be an artist. This courage pales in comparison to the courage of those caught up in the war in Ukraine. My fears of failure and criticism seem trivial in comparison to the betrayal, loss and suffering faced by Ukrainians as their lives and country are threatened with extermination.
If a purpose of art is to raise awareness and to change our point of view, journalists and photographers are the artists in Ukraine. The graphic images show the terrible realities of this conflict. The montage of imagery and narrative are compelling. I find it hard to look away.
Gratitude
What do I do with the feelings that arise when I see parts of the world under intense conflict? Imagining being in their shoes is so inadequate. I feel guilt for my good fortune. I feel like I am betraying something important when I turn off the Internet and think about what to have for lunch.
I thank the gods that I am not living in countries where politics and aggression have destabilized daily existence- places like Ukraine Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan or Somalia. Civilians have to rebuild their lives under difficult circumstances. How lucky I am that my daily decisions feature simple choices- soup or sandwich? walk or workout? Netflix or Itunes? To be so fortunate!
Painting and Politics
A few years ago I created a political painting about the Syrian civil war. It could equally apply to Putin and Ukraine. I don’t pretend to know the history of this conflict and the important nuances of the situation. My outrage is focused on autocratic leaders who depict anyone in opposition to be traitors. Like the Greek Gods, these autocrats wreak havoc on their perceived enemies with terrible consequences.
Value or Meaning?
I realize that my moral authority to judge and depict this terrible situation is weak. I have no direct experience with civil war and world politics. I wonder about the sincerity behind my painting. What is my real motivation?
- Maybe I need to show how clever I am.
- Maybe I want to show I am a ‘serious’ artist.
- Maybe I converted a mere cartoon into a painting.
Does my internal chatter change anything? The painting is done. You can decide if it has value or meaning.
Ron, your painting makes a very powerful statement of the terrible, heartbreaking lives that displaced refugees must face because of the rise in authoritarian, anti democratic, racist politicians. Yes, this certainly applies to Putin, and Trump as well. I believe it takes courage as an artist to put these types of painting forward for the rest of society to think about.
Creating the setting in Halifax strikes home the common belief that ‘it could never happen here.’ I believe the painting asks us to reflect on our on biases and encourages us to find the courage to make certain it never happens here. All the more reason to ensure that the assault on democracy and the rise of authoritarianism and racist policies never take root here.