How artists have used their mediums to protest

by Ronya Sen ARTS WRITER

Many mediums of art have been used to protest causes. Whether it be dance, music, literature, film or visual arts, it has been used time and time again. Activism through art is important because it is a long-standing approach for many to communicate what they feel.

In 1998, Portugal’s vote towards abortion rights failed. In response, Paula Rego, a Portuguese artist, created a 10 piece series to highlight the psychological pain and dangers that come with outlawing abortions. She centered her work around how restricting abortions only leads to an increase in unsafe abortions, rather than eliminating them. (National Art Galleries) believe that Rego contributed to this massive achievement.

Yilmaz Güney, a Kurdish filmmaker from Turkey, started his protest journey in 1961 by writing a “communist” novel that detailed some of the injustices facing the Kurds. This landed him in jail for 18 months.

Güney eventually broke away tinued to write his scripts behind bars. Güney’s works caused so much commotion within Turkey that the government began to outlaw his movies and would burn copies when they found them. Güney’s works helped spread the feelings and circumstances of the Kurdish people further than ever hoped for. of the National Medal of Arts, voiced her beliefs through dance. Her influence developed due to her focus on inner emotions. She aimed to hit different topics and introduce their emotional impact to the world, such as the Great Depression, the Spanish Civil War, and injustices in America and facism. She choreographed “Chronicle” in response to facism in Europe. She refused to participate in the 1936 Olympics in Germany due to many of the artists who she respected being persecuted and deprived of the right to work due to being Jewish. routines about her learnings. They communicate the hardships of racial oppression and discrimination. Her first work, “African Ceremonial,” came out in 1944. Since then, she has gone on to produce many more.

She choreographed “Deep Song” and “Immediate Tragedy” in response to the Spanish Civil War, and American Document to highlight American history, injustices, and democracy. It looked into the hardships that faced America including Native-American heritage and slavery. Graham soon realized that this piece could also be used to protest facism due to its focus on rights and freedom.

In 2007, Portugal had another vote towards legalizing abortion and it passed. Many from Turkey and its film industry and started producing his own films that highlighted the true feelings of Kurdish people.

He released three films, “Hope,” “Agit,” and “Umutsuzlar,” meaning “they are desperate,” from 1970 to 1972.

After that, however, he spent a total of 12 years in jail and con-

Activism does not just have to be something tangible such as art or film. It is something a person experiences and witnesses. The goal of activism is to leave a mark and alter someone’s brain chemistry. Activism through dance had a major increase in popularity during the 1900s.

Martha Graham, a recipient

Pearl Primus, born in Trinidad, was an American dancer, choreographer and anthropologist. Her family immigrated to America when she was two years old. In 1948, she received a Rosenwald Foundation Scholarship, which allowed her to travel to Africa. She documented the way of life of the people living there and their dance. She also studied the diaspora of African American dance, visiting the Caribbean to gather research as well. Once back in the US, she created many

One of her more famous choreographies, “Strange Fruit,” took on a very different approach towards protesting racial discrimination. Primus danced through the emotions of a white woman who had just witnessed a lynching. She emphasized the disgust and sadness coming from the bystander. For her works she received many awards, including the National Medal of Arts and the Distinguished Service Award. Activism through art is important, as it allows us as humans to reach deep into our spiritual and emotional realm and share part of our mind with the rest of the world.

by Naomi Scissors ARTS COLUMNIST

“M3GAN”

The plot follows Gemma, a toy company employee played by Allison Williams, who is devel oping a prototype for a robot doll that can act as a friend and care taker to a child. When her niece Cady, played by Violet McGraw, is orphaned in a car accident and moves in with Gemma, Gemma decides to gift the first Megan pro totype to Cady in order to prove the toy’s potential to her boss and ensure that Cady is supervised while Gemma works long hours.

When Megan starts to defy The star of the show is, of far surpasses the expectation of a revamped “Annabelle” put forth by its trailer. Director Gerard Johnstone has filled the film with snarky comedy, heartfelt moments, and enjoyable musical numbers to create an 102-minute experience that can only be described as camp. film that sometimes feels formulaic, are where she shines most. They have even garnered her a following on TikTok, where users post themselves copying her dance moves. These scenes stand out because they are completely useless to the film overall. They are not scary, they do not develop Megan’s character, and they do not even help move the plot along. They are just fun, and they nicely sum up the existence of the film as a whole. The commitment to fun and entertainment above all else is what gives the film its soul—a youthful attitude suitable for the child at the center of the story. It has already been announced that “M3GAN 2.0” is in the works and is set to release in 2025. With Megan herself already developing a following of loyal fans, it is safe to assume that the sequel will have an audience. Whether or not the already precarious plot of the original can be stretched into another film remains to be seen. If there is anyone who can pull it off, though, it is Johnstone, who is confirmed to be returning to direct the next film. If it is packed with as much stupid humor, melodramatic action sequences, and weirdly impressive robot dancing as the first, “M3GAN 2.0” is likely to be a success.

GRAPHIC BY EVELYN SHUE