Art Activism: I art as I act, and I act as I art
Artist Asher Jay talks about art activism and how she's using her creativity to change the world.
Confession: I am a big fan of my friend Asher Jay's art activism. I've written about her work before:
- tackling plastic pollution with art
- her Message in a Bottle exhibit
- her Times Square billboard to raise awareness about the ivory trade
Jay recently gave a talk at TEDxVailWomen about art activism, what inspires her, and creative conservation. She talks about her own journey to art activism through pain and grief, and it's incredibly inspiring.
As artists and crafters, we have so much power to effect change. We can do that by choosing sustainable materials and by creating works that effect positive change. Asher Jay's work in the world of art activism is a wonderful example of how you can use your creativity to make a difference. I admire her work so much, and I loved getting to know her even better through her TED Talk.
You can check it out right here:
"Art empowers me to act in this world."
Amen, sister!
I also love what she has to say about bad design. Products like single-use plastic bottles represent the worst of bad design. Asher uses art activism to shine a light on areas where we are consumers can change our habits to make a powerful impact on the world.
What inspires you to get active? Asher can point to one salient moment: the BP oil spill. Was there a moment like that in your life?
Image Credit: Screenshot from video