I often find myself thinking about the Dada and Surrealism, particularly about the Cologne Dada Exhibition of 1920 and the London International Surrealist Exhibition of 1936. The first was organised by Ernst, Baargeld and Arp and is known to be one of the most controversial exhibitions to ever been launched, focused on nonsense and anti-bourgeois sentiments. It was set up in a pub, and required that participants walk past urinals while being read lewd poetry by a woman dressed in a communion dress, causing for the police to close the exhibition on grounds of obscenity. I have always found this extremely inspiring because they did not see Art as merely aesthetic but as crucial ‘for a revolution in social, moral, and cultural values’[1], feelings that were aggravated after WW1. In a similar tone but years later, the International Surrealist Exhibition took place in London known for Sheila Legge’s Trafalgar Square’s performance and Salvador Dalí’s lecture, which he gave whilst wearing a deep-sea diving suit. This exhibition was also extremely provocative and was set as a response towards bourgeois establishments.
Today, May 1st of 2022, we have gone and continue to go through a catastrophic pandemic, as well as different wars across the globe. Yet we continue to grow colder and more superficial. Almost everything is seen as an economical transaction, even in things that are supposed to be “ground-breaking”, and billionaires (not millionaires) have accumulated more wealth than the entire capital of many nations. There is a certain sense of collectiveness that has been almost entirely lost, and which was crucial in these earlier movements. Right now Art is another money-making industry, with big focus on the individual.
That being said, there are also some current creatives that I find inspiring because their art is hybrid and intersectional. For instance I talked about Rosalía’s new album MOTOMAMI before, and how she was able to mix flamenco with reguetón and jazz as well as with some very interesting visuals. I am also a big admirer of Arca and Samantha Hudson, who often mix music, performance and political activism, fiercely breaking with binaries. Outside music, I really enjoy the poetry of Alejandra Smits, which she often juxtaposes with nonsensical visuals. However, if I had to choose one modern day intervention in particular would be the Instagram meme account @iamthatwitch , in which they mix “high and low culture” references and reflections, creating a strong sense of community.
Personally, if I had to do a big scale intervention I would certainly take Extinction Rebellion or Guerrilla Girls as a point of reference, since I admire how they use art and performance as a medium for protest, however these examples are often perceived more as activism rather than art. For this reason I would love to continue exploring and experimenting in the field.