"I Did Not" - Art For Change - Mark Vallen

 

The artist with his parents at Disneyland's Tomorrowland, 1959. "We're a happy family, me mom and daddy." Photographer unknown.

I don't think there is anything more that I admire in an artist or in anyone for that matter, than those who have the courage of their convictions to follow their social conscience. 

As the artist and activist Mark Vallen says in his blog, Art For A Change post, I Did Not to "be more than a witness", or what Thomas Merton talks about in his book Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander. As Dr. Cornell West says we can advocate, have empathy, and even protest but we need to organize and take action. 

I really appreciated Mark Vallen's post that was a chronological history of his life as an artist and an activist. He's a man who truly has the courage to live his convictions.

Art For A Change - Mark Vallen

Mark Vallen

Art for art sake is fine, but not nearly enough for me. But art for a change in the world, that's what really interests and impresses me. Art that is not obscure in meaning, directly speaks to the viewer this is art that interests me..

I can't remember when I first started following Mark Vallen's blog, Art For A Change, and don't recall how I even found out about it, but I know I was searching for artist's who's art reflected their own social conscience, eliciting change in the world for the better. He's had a very interesting life, and I greatly admire his talent, his intellect, and his heart. Mark Vallen's  own work is full of contemporary concerns, and his blog covers many contemporary social issues, detailed in his biography.

I admit I don't read every blog post that I subscribe to, unless there is something that really stands out. Today was one of those days where I saw in my blog list, May Day With Diego and Frida  about Mark's visit to the Detroit Institute of Arts exhibition of works by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. It was a riveting post, and I love his review of the work. I confess I have always been very partial to Frida Kahlo's art as I admire her greatly as a person and an artist. That said I certainly appreciate Diego Rivera's powerful and poignant murals.