Themes in Conceptual Film

POLITICS AND SOCIAL ORDER:

In art, themes are very important and crucial when not only differentiating between art but also as a way to see the vision and place artists see and are coming from when putting them in their topics and origin. For example in the theme i'm focusing on, a lot of the contemporary art within the theme of politics and social order focuses on the commentary of politics and society, an artist known for doing this is Barbara Kruger, an east coast conceptual artist, collagist, and activist known for her use of text and image, usually incorporating photos with white over red captions that have social commentary usually through one liners on them. One of her more well known and controversial pieces is the untitled(your body is a battleground) which is of a woman who's face is half a negative image with a caption over the picture that says "your body is a battleground". This artwork focuses on the issue of abortion and women's rights as well as the whole pro-choice/pro-life issue. Kruger compares a woman's body to a battleground as people in society debate over the choices and options woman have  over their bodies and their ability to have services such as abortion, calling out and shaking up the political and social order with commentary through art. The theme of political and social order also transcends into other types of art, in music, especially in genres like hip hop and punk rock where denouncing, resenting, and questioning authority and our social order is encouraged. Notable artists that have done this consist of artists like Public Enemy, N.W.A., PRO ERA, The Sex Pistols, Suicidal Tendencies, Black Flag, and etc. In various films the topic and theme of political and social order is also very present, films like A Clockwork Orange, Soylent Green, Fight Club, V for Vendetta, and many others have heavy use of the ideals concerning political and social order and a lot of symbolism and themes that reflect our own society. In the 21st Century, political and social commentary within art has definitely increased as of late, consciousness and the talk of society's issues has made a comeback even though it never left due to the many events that are happening in this decade. I feel like and I do hope that this theme is one that will always have a big place in the art world, in my eyes the self and social awareness that we express through art is amazing and is something that will always be dope because it brings us closer to being human and being intellectual people within our own system.