The Politics of Creating
How has the role of the artist in today s society evolved? Are artists working within socially imposed boxes (racial/ethnic origin, gender, nationality, and disciplinary compartments)? Or do they choose to wear these labels for a reason? Some artists decide to transcend pigeon-holes, whilst others cannot or choose not to separate their identity from their artistic expression. Some artists take political positions. You could say they take sides . But don t we all? IETM Montréal 2007 27/32 Do audiences wish to see politically challenging work or do they dislike it? Is there such a thing as shock-value, or should political statements in art remain on the symbolic level? Are we keeping up with changing tastes, the demographics, and the tensions of our own cities? Do we know our audiences? Do we create for audiences or for ourselves?
