Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Writing Prompt- November 23: Public Art as Social Protest

The Occupy Movement is an international protest movement, primarily directed against economic and social inequality (wikipedia.org), and serving to bring attention to the overwhelming imbalance of wealth and power in the world today.  

Diego Rivera was a famous artist whose public murals highlighted the disparity of wealth and power between the haves and have-nots, especially in regard to who was doing all labor and who was reaping all the economic and social benefit in Depression Era industry.

Currently, New York City contains both the Occupy Wall Street protest and an exhibition of Diego Rivera’s murals at the Museum of Modern Art, which has led many people to draw a connection between today’s events and past struggle.

Prompt:
Use the two links below to explore the connection between The Occupy Movement and Diego Rivera’s Frozen Assets mural and then compose a blog post- between 250-300 words- in response to the following questions, and referring back to research on The Occupy Movement and your interaction with Diego Rivera’s mural.

  • Despite the 80 year difference, what is going on in Rivera’s Frozen Assets mural that connects to The Occupy Movement today?  In your opinion, is there a clear connection?  Why or why not?  (refer back to specific points in the mural AND your research of The Occupy Movement)

The Occupy Movement:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement

Diego Rivera’s Frozen Assets mural:
http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2011/rivera/content/mural/frozen/detail.php

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