Car Art Be Apolitical? Can You?
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Dear Intentionalist,
almost every time I open my mouth to speak about politics — or even just point out some of my moral values — there’s someone to tell me that I should really just stick to my art and let someone else talk about “those things” instead.
However, I seem unable to follow such instructions, especially when it comes to art and my work.
Can we really switch politics off?
Well, I don’t believe we can.
Whether you like it not, you are part of a political system and your everyday choices and behaviors are intrinsically linked to that system.
You might not vote. You might not watch the news. You might even live completely off-grid: still your existence is political.
Woman? Your body is political and always the first topic to be on the table for discussion whenever there are changes in governments;
Unborn baby? Political. Their almost-existence is already defined by laws;
BIPOC or Queer person? Your existence is not only political; it’s (political) resistance.
The life you — we! — live is political from the moment we are conceived to the moment we pass away and sometimes even afterwards if we consider all the bureaucracy that comes with death for those still alive to deal with.
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Indigenous People And Outlaws
“Oh Patricia, but what about indigenous people? They live completely out of the system.”
Well, no they don’t. Not really.
Even the existence of indigenous people from the Amazon rainforest (just an example) is political. So much so that the Brazilian government has already tried to take them out of there.
Climate change or deforestation laws — among others — influence their lives directly. So whether or not indigenous people want to stay away from the political system not only their existence is political resistance by itself, it is also endangered by the political system of the country they belong to.
And the same goes for outlaws.
An outlaw is in itself someone who breaks the laws, who refuses to follow the political rules in place which automatically makes the outlaw political. After all, without politics they wouldn’t even be able to be outlaws.
So, what about art?
The way I see it, art is a form of expression which automatically makes me think of freedom of speech.
Now, freedom of speech is so political that it is one of the first things dictatorial leaders try to take from their people — in Portugal we had PIDE, a censorship police that would arrest anyone who dared to voice their opinions about the government.
Even recently the USA have censored books. Just like Hitler have burned down thousands of books during WWII.
These kinds of acts from dictatorial leaders clearly tells us that art is not only political but probably one of the strongest tools against oppression. Otherwise, they' wouldn’t even bother censor it.
Conclusion
The way I see it, everything is somehow political. It is part of us and impossible to get away from it.
Even if we don’t vote, don’t talk about politics, don’t have an opinion about it, don’t watch the news.
And art, above all things, is probably the most political thing there is. Because it holds this extraordinary power to foster critical thinking and I’m pretty sure that is the worst nightmare of any dictatorial leader.
Remember: your voice, your creativity, your money, it all holds power. You hold the power. You might not put a cross on a paper to vote for a party but you make decisions and spend the money you worked so hard to earn and by doing so you are voting with it too. Every. Single. Day.
With love and gratitude,
Patricia
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About the Author:
Patricia Nunes is a couples photographer, experiences designer and the creator of the "Intentional" newsletter. She specializes in helping discerning couples build more intentional lives and relationships, using expertly guided photography experiences as a powerful tool to facilitate profound connection.
Lisbon, London and beyond.
Article Summary
This article dives into politics and its relationship with art. Can one be separate from the other? Should they? The author shares her own perspective on this topic inviting the reader to think critically and question some core beliefs.
