The Pop Culture Salvage Expeditions

Creative Resistance 2: Audience

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Creative Resistance is a special edition podcast mini-series in affiliation with the Center for Artistic Activism and is hosted by Research Fellow, Sarah J Halford.

Episode 2: Audience!

In this episode, we heard from art activists Avram Finkelstein, Mark Read and Rachel Brown of The Illuminator, Diana Arce, and Beatrice Glow.

From Avram:

“First of all, I think that art that isn’t about communication is about class. So, if you’re an activist who’s making art and what you’re trying to do or say is not clear, you’re no better than being in a Gagosian Gallery. It’s not activism if it’s not understandable. So, clarity is essential to having an audience understand it.”



Avram Finkelstein | C4AA.org – photo credit ACTUPny.org

From Beatrice Glow:

“I talk about these domino-effects in a perfume shop, and that allures an audience that I find normally wouldn’t go into an art space. An art space presents this hierarchy, and in a shop it’s broken down into consumer language, which is I think becoming a universal, international language at this point. So, how do we find new ways of reaching out to folks? That’s the biggest challenge that I think educators and artists face today.”



Beatrice Glow | C4AA.org – photo credit – Beatrice Glow

Major takeaways from episode 2:
  • The audience is a key element in artistic activism; incorporating the audience into the work is what can take the art from a personal project to social activism.
  • We need to figure out who the audience or audiences are, and get as specific as possible.
  • Then, we need to investigate what kinds of signs, symbols, and codes resonate with them so that we can make artistic activism that is understandable to the people we’re trying to reach.

    • Avram Finkelstein Full Interview Transcript
    Diana Arce Full Interview Transcript
    Beatrice Glow Full Interview Transcript

    Music By (in order of appearance):

    • Theme: “Drum Flute Loop in G Minor” by Enoe
    • “Adventure Darling” by Gillicuddy
    • “Conveyor Belt” by Podington Bear
    • “Please Listen Carefully” by Jahzzar

      • Music courtesy of freemusicarchive.org

      Special thanks to Professor Stephen Duncombe.

      For more information on the Center for Artistic Activism, visit: c4aa.org

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      The Pop Culture Salvage ExpeditionsBy the Center for Artistic Activism