‘© among each other Political art~ particularly in the West ~has tended, inst the strong. It has focused justices and sought to give a voice to s, creating feelings of sym in the hope of prompting political change. Arthas a been employed by the powerful as an instrument of. or national governments, At their worst, the emotive power of art for tyranny, thereby tainting the very dea of politcal atin the eyes of some. So thorough has the corr been that it occasionally looks as though art simply cannot remain honest unless it renounces all political aml ions, a stance embodied in the call thatart should remain ‘for art’ sake’, and in W.H. Auden’s resigned yet proud declaration that ‘poetry makes nothing happen Although political arc can be abused, as can most good things, potential for goodness deserves to be recognized at a theoretical level, and explored ata practical one. If artists are capable of helping ividu: pathy and outrage so periodically aristocracies these have harnessed its they must also be allowed to exert the power to hea states Rural poverty was increasing in Belgium in the late nineteenth century. Emile Claus’s The Beet Harvest is a huge painting - 4.5 metres (15 ft) wide - that makes the cold, heavy work of the farm labourer unforgettable (114). We cannot escape a powerful sense of how harsh and unrewarding it must have been to collect the sugar beet. However, ‘Claus’s painting wasn't meant to speak to the labourers themselves, but to affluent, well-established viewers in museums in towns and cities. The point of the picture was to bring attention to suffering that had been kept out of mind by vested interests. Itaimed to make the sight of suffering unbearable to those who had the power to change things, if only their consciences could be stirred. Claus was doing in paint what Charles Dickens and Emile Zola had been doingin 190 Artas Therapy Arto ep work = 14. EmileClas, bemore mane, The Beet Maret, i890 literature: he was giving poverty a human face. In this analysis, the task of artists is to pick on examples of maltreatment and immorality and make them unforgettable to the governing and powerful classes ofsociery. Art's ro It, and thereby change. Clauss ambitions live on. We encounter them in the street art of the Chilean-born, New York-based art Shocked by the behaviour of bankers financial crisis, of 2007, Errdzuriz travelled around Wall Street creating. dollar signs out of ordinary street markings, in the hope that these sm and to adopt Consciousness-raising was the intended move, and Erréz so many political artists before him, hoped his work would. Sat to sce as problematic behaviour that, until now, We | had regardec alarm — i for chan ocauseforalarm=andgidusforchangs, al arts it may be outrage, buianin ise don bring about the change shouting forloral PolitiWhottvd fyoware amery tha banker, wind. In order to be effective, political art can't simply say that something is wrong it needs to make this error feel vivid enough to generate the emotion necessary to stir us into reform. What this requires, artistic talent aside, is an original understanding, whether Psychological, social or economic, of the problem in question. The other kind of bad political artisn’t only ineffective, it’s plain dangerous. t gets us to fight for the wrong causes, for motherlands that don’t deserve sacrifice and regimes that torture the innocent. It persuades us to think well of villains. These filings help point us towards a notion of what good Political art should be about. It should take the pulse of a society, understand some of what is wrong with group life, arrive at an acute and intelligent analysis of its problems, then push the audience inthe 1shtdlirection through supreme mastery ofa chosen artistic medium. If this isthe Soal, we should be ready to stretch our conception al artincludes. Fora start, abuse doesn't only involve ‘Avettemptto guide the —16.Chei che ofa nation. Outside the North Gate ofthe Citadel. 1834 in any number of small intra-personal fe. For example, one might argue that one of the leading problems of affluent societies is that their citizens are becoming ever more aggressive and impatient. Therefore, on ‘one mission for modern political art might be the encouragem of serenity and forgiveness. ; Viewed from this perspective, Danish artist’ Outside the North Gate of the Citadel is a super art because it attempts to change how citi 16). In the painting, an officer cadet can bridge, quite at ease with an itine Christen Kobke’s ive piece of political toone another be seen lounging on the an and a couple aAppin alagenda fie chang the way tal wore anather, 194 Artas Therapy cen different levels of society, where there could easily be tension benwqrust It isa moment of quiet simplicity. The beholder is invited ane pgnize patient thoughtfulness asa public virtue, and thusit ore counterweight tothe general tendency to get instantly agitated sem pever we see things we dislike in che political realm, One could yoee this image being beamed into every home before the news, Kobke is trying to tell Danes what they should be like, and to nudge them in a good direction. Remarkably, the picture has had some tangible success in this endeavour. Along with many others, ichas helped crystallize a conception of whatitis to be Danish, what a Danish attitude to life might be like. You see Kobke’s work in postcards and posters across the country. Art has played its part in the development of one of the world’s sanest and most decent societies. In 2012, the Anglo-German artist Tino Sehgal produced an updated version of this kind of political art in London for the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall (117). He trained a group of strangers to become experts at talking to one another with the help of some specially positioned conversational prompts. A small army of volunteers approached visitors at the Tate, told them something about their lives and asked them for their personal stories, based on big, intimate questions formulated by Sehgal (‘When did you feel sense of belonging?’ ‘What does ‘arrival’ mean to you?" Of whom are you aftaid?") Many an artist has highlighted our social isola Schgal - more interestingly ~ tried to solve it, and did so asan artist, with intelligence and originality, yet without any ofthe traditional tools of art. Though a political artist, Sehgal understood his brief with refreshing broadness. He didn't feel the need toattack the obvious abuses of English society. He knew that one of the prevalent but qua invisible problems of living in England is that very few people know how to talk honestly with one another, and that they like to hide their Vulnerability behind a detached, ironic air. He was internally trong Cough to know that addressing thi problem also counts as changing the world (like Kobe, he wasn't in love with the grand gesture} Finally, he stretched our preconceptions of what an artwork is and n. wsArtas a Guide to the Reform of Capitalis m The harshest critics of capitalism have not sideways glance at its strengths ~ its ca its managerial disciplines, its prodigios t been able to resist the odd Pacity to marshal resources us energies, i The bourgeoisie, during its rule of scarce one h has created more massive and more colossal p ee ee nore colossal productive forces tine have al preceding generations together Subjeton poet man, machinery, application of chemistr atari agriculture, steam-navigation, railways, if telegray dl nent ‘ cae crap laring of whole continents for cultivation, eet 's, whole populations conjured out of the een, had even a presentiment that itive forces slumbered in the lap of social labour? Karl Marx and Friedri ‘arl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto, 1848 How has Spee cnute planet is now painfully aware, capitalism ES of shortcomings. From the point of view of the Sree there is an astonishing array of chocolate domesticroe ten help us to deal with the causes of to Manchester but liste ra) of cutprice fares from Kuala Lumpur where you work. Indust = of getting a house with a garden near but it has not produced rial capitalism has made many cheap trinkets production oe ett many beautiful cies. When comes 0 toexploit adolescent ster kets tun out sports shoes designed tus anxiety; kindergarten teachers who helP shy children dis 0 with recklevs commas tt lees are paid ared ss commodities tac rext to nothing comp: raders w Borneo; richly rewarded executive. s out how to prom 3 ote one bi identical one; rand of y ‘oothpaste over another almost the system pri Prioritize “es short-term success over long:te"™ benefits and treats workers a. s mea 154 Artas Therapy Until now, this crucial source ed within the field of art. first sight, art issuch an has not been tapped because, at ididate for good advice about macroeconomics. ely distinct from money and work. We tend vo postion it along with luxury, holidays and special occasions. iaristcally minded people may regard capitalism rather like polite people inthe nineteenth century regarded sex. Like all eras, the vr neteenth century was obsessed with sex, but sensitive, thoughtful types were so conscious of its dangers, and found it such a painful topic or frank discussion, that they ended up preaching sermons about purty and chastity. In return, the temptation for later commentators ee toun to the opposite extreme and glorify sexuality, imagining ontentment ifonly they could be utterly uninhibited. The truth, sfcourse, is that sexuality s both essential and a source of suffering and confusion. So too with capitalism, which isan equally troubling mix ofthe deeply impressive and the highly unsatisfactory. “Atthe moment we tend to have two dominant bu polarized fantasies, Either, like the economic version ofa Victorian social reformer, we are drawn tothe idea that money issnful and capitalism should be abolished. Or, like free love guru ofthe 19605, 8 glorify the market without due consideration ofits abuses. What we need, as individuals and as societies, is to form a better Wise? and more honest relationship with money. We want an ¢conon that harnesses the magnificent productive Forces of capitalism f0* more accurate Understanding of the range and depth of our needs. Art may offer ‘high road to such progress. robe iden ofinsight unlikely 62m Artcan seem entir The Problem of Taste pitalism involves the services ina market cay Acits heart, the economic system we cl Pursuit of profit through the sale of 008s and esa in which consumers can make purchases 38 they ‘are willing to pay For. only strive to provide whatever ‘heir consumers bad as the tastes of its i Vide wily 3s good ora ¢ In this sense, capitalism is only Br . wickedness f corporations, Consumers. Rather than om nl ‘Many of the problems We should direct some | criticis™ ly blame ar ourselves: 55