On Tuesday, April 3, art historian and critic Susan Platt will deliver a lecture at Drake, “Art and Politics Now: Cultural Activism in a Time of Crisis,” based on her recent book of the same name.
Her lecture will examine contemporary artists who engage social and political concerns. The themes addressed are opposition to terrorism and police states; women, war and imperialism; opposing racism, crossing borders; and ecologies. It ranges from the art of street protest to the work of gallery artists and finally the international art scene. It examines both individual artists and exhibitions as political endeavors and expands the concept of art that engages political and social issues. The lecture will demonstrate the wide ranging strategies and media used by artists who address social issues. It will also include photos and discussion of the #Occupy movement.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will start at 7 p.m. in the Cowles Library Reading Room. The lecture will explore contemporary artists engaging in social and political concerns.
Art and Politics Now is Platt’s third book. Her accomplished career includes teaching at universities and colleges around the world and publishing numerous articles and reviews.
The lecture is sponsored by the Department of Art and Design and the Department for the Study of Culture and Society. For more information, contact Maura Lyons, associate professor of art history, at 515-271-3858.