arts gp seminar

The Arts in Society: Value, Power, and Change Seminar Activity Overview Below is a selection of real-world case studies where the arts have triggered public controversy, challenged norms, or surfaced hidden tensions. Each example raises questions about how the arts function in society not just as creative expression, but as a space where values, power, and responsibilities are negotiated. Instructions 1. In pairs or groups of 3, select 2 case studies from the resource list provided. 2. At least one must be Singapore-based. 3. For each selection, select and apply two relevant critical lenses: - Value & Importance - Power - Change & Continuity - Control & Responsibility 4. Use the guiding questions below to frame your analysis. 5. Support your points with specific references to the selected case studies. You may present your findings as: - A short analytical write-up (approx. 400-500 words); OR - A comparative slide presentation (5–6 slides) Guiding Questions by Lens Use these to shape your group’s discussion and written analysis. You do not need to answer every question , but your response should reflect thoughtful engagement with how and why the arts provoke value judgments, power struggles, social change, or calls for control. You could also consider the prompts at the bottom of each quadrant to practise cross-lens thinking. Value & Importance ▪ Why are stakeholders interested in this artwork or issue? What do they stand to gain or lose? ▪ How central are these artistic or cultural issues to their identity, livelihood, or survival? Power ▪ How do and to what extent are stakeholders able to influence artistic outcomes, public opinion, or institutional decisions? ▪ Who defines what is acceptable, legitimate, or worthy in this artistic space?

▪ How do their values or interests clash or align with others? ▪ What kind of value is being debated -- artistic, cultural, symbolic, economic, moral? ▪ Is one set of values being privileged over others? If so, whom? Consider linking to Power : Who gets to decide which values are upheld? Consider linking to Control : Which types of value are sometimes used to justify restrictions? ▪ Do any stakeholders exercise power in excess or to the disadvantage of others? ▪ How do power imbalances (e.g. between state and artist, or global North/South) shape the debate? Consider linking to Value : Are some voices given more weight because of who they represent? Consider linking to Change : Is power shifting or staying the same? Control & Responsibility ▪ Can one stakeholder be justified in assuming control on behalf of a community/tradition/community? ▪ Is the control exercised (e.g. censorship, funding decisions, edits) proportionate or excessive? ▪ What responsibilities do artists have when their work enters public or contested space? ▪ How far should people assume responsibility for how they are represented in the arts? (E.g. marginalised communities, cultures, gender) Consider linking to Change : Can older systems of control keep up with new realities? Consider linking to Power : When someone’s voice is “silenced,” who benefits? Change & Continuity ▪ What changes have emerged that disrupt artistic or cultural norms? ▪ Who seeks artistic or social change? Do their aims clash or co-exist with others? ▪ Are institutions or audiences more likely to be open or resistant to new ideas brought about by this artwork/issue? Why? ▪ Which societal values are evolving, and which are held on to? Consider linking to Power : Are new actors more likely to gain influence or be shut out? Consider linking to Value : Do shifts in taste or norms affect what is considered valuable? Resource Links ● Cultural Appropriation in Fashion – Global brands like Zara are accused of using Indigenous Mexican designs without permission Such cases pose ethical responsibility

questions: who “owns” cultural art motifs and who profits? They also involve power dynamics between Western corporations and marginalized communities. (Mexico accuses Zara and Anthropologie of cultural appropriation | Fashion | The Guardian) ● AI-Generated Art Wins Competition – In 2022, an AI-created painting won first prize at a state fair, angering human artists. This case exemplifies how new technology challenges traditional notions of creativity, asks if our definition of art should change and who has the power in art when algorithms can create images. (AI-Generated Art Won a Prize. Artists Aren’t Happy. - The New York Times) ● Climate Activists vs. Art Museums – In 2022, protesters threw soup on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers (behind glass) and then glued themselves to the wall. It’s a provocative example of using art’s publicity to address climate change, raising responsibility debates. (Just Stop Oil activists throw soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers | Just Stop Oil | The Guardian) ● Elgin Marbles / Parthenon Sculptures Dispute – A long-standing conflict between Greece and the UK over marble sculptures removed from the Parthenon in the early 1800s. Greece argues that the removal was unethical, and that the sculptures should be returned. The British Museum maintains that they were legally acquired and are viewed by millions annually. Elgin Marbles: What are they and why is there a row about them? | BBC ● Ai Weiwei’s Art and Activism – Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s works (like dropping a Han Dynasty urn or his installation Sunflower Seeds ) often openly criticise government policies. Ai was detained by authorities in 2011 for his outspokenness. His case illustrates how art can give voice to dissent and the resulting control that governments attempt to exert. It raises issues of artists’ responsibility and how art can drive change in society. (Ai Weiwei detained by Chinese police - The Guardian) ● Banksy’s Shredded Painting – Refers to Banksy’s Girl with Balloon that self-shredded at auction in 2018. The stunt itself became art and increased the painting’s monetary value prompting discussion about how we value art and the power of spectacle in the art market. (Banksy auction stunt leaves art world in shreds | Banksy | The Guardian) ● “Oscars So White” – A social media hashtag/protest that emerged in 2015–2016 when all 20 Oscar acting nominees were white. This controversy in the film industry questions who has influence and whose stories are told. This connects art to social change, asking how important recognition and diversity are in the cultural landscape. (9 Years after #OscarsSoWhite, here's what diversity looks like at the 2024 Academy Awar