When I think about the relationship between art and community work, the first word that comes to my mind is "tool". The reason is very simple. The word "TOOL" might sound weird but is the best description to attach to the fact of one particular person using art as the medium to approach specific social issue and even further to contribute with a new constructive opinion. In other words for some individuals art is the tool trough they can approach to any kind of social change or social contribution (is the word sound better). My thinking on something as tool is so general because at the end the cause turn out to be more important than the medium and for this same reason I personally can admire a lot the things a group as Superflex does (even if I do not consider them art).
It might sound hard that art at this point can be positioned as second, but the emergency of the problems of our society now are worth it. Of course with this I'm not telling that every work of Pepon is doing this or any kind of social artwork aims correctly to the issue. Also I don't want anyone to be confused, I am not devaluating art that do not focus on social issues, that is a very personal decision. In the same way I can tell from a lots of works that had been done with a "social consciousness" that addresses more to a "HIP" kind of culture.
I personally can tell, before being on any kind of art school or college, I got the same preoccupation's and issues running trough my mind, first for me music was the tool, now is art. Other example; Doctor Vargas, Vidot, the guy made it and got his Medical Doctor degree. That in any place in the world can be a very socially accepted position. He can have a nice office, good secretary, etc. He decided to left that aside and help homeless persons and drug addicts for his living. Medicine was his tool.
So in few words life quality can be affected in some many ways and art is also part of it. And you can focus that approach in very different ways, economically, socially, psychologically. Back in Puerto Rico as a part of a collective effort, we occupied (with the owner permission, 90 years old lady), the oldest house of a slum near the university, and we transformed the abandoned house (with very limited funding), and part of the street.
-In more than ten years the lady and her son did not talked to anyone in the whole street (that day happened).
-Adding to the pasting and painting project of the house across the street we made a permanent installation (including a concrete bench that also work as a hand sculpture.)
-Economically the space worth rise up.
-Culturally the the cultural exchange in the place is much better.
Actually the visual pleasure of the experience of the street before and after is amazing. Just in the same corner there is a family owned bar cafeteria, were students gathered and were some other artist had made other artistic approaches leaving actually more profits to the owner of the place.
Personally in my work that is were beauty takes place. Not only by being in my studio enjoying the process of my work, but also having that other experience outside that enhanced the quality of life for me and for the witness. Is the possibility in some ways to simplified the message of the work or enhancing the aesthetics of that process in order to establish a conversation with any kind of spectator (even when I know everyone is going to have a different level of reading), but even that I want them to at some point address some single aspect of the issue I'm working with. I understand that the beauty of my work.
Sorry for any typos or bad spelling, but I'm getting better with time like wine, thanks guys for reading.
Jose Antonio Ortiz Pagan "O.T.S."
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