Can Art Be Used to Evoke Political Thought?

Throughout history, artists have been a large part of the unscripting of the political process. From the Civil War era, to the Vietnam War error, art was used as propaganda to promote or denounce a cause. The art of society today serves as a free medium to express unrestricted thoughts and persuade an audience.



Steve Dietz talked about several examples of pieces in which the artist’s message was used to accomplish a goal. One example he refers to is the Cue P. Dolls. The artists used this piece to relay a message, and through their delivery, it worked quite effectively. Art can change political opinion by stretching the thoughts of the viewer. When the viewer is looking at a piece of art, they are subject to the unfiltered opinion of the artist. Sometimes, this opinion can be done in such a way that it persuades the viewer. Therefore, it can be said that in a way, art can play a role in shaping a person’s political beliefs.
For groups like the Yes Men and Billionaires for Bush, the most effective strategy is to operate on shock value. While they are still feeding the viewer an opinion, it usually comes from backward logic, found only when the viewer is done digging through the piles of satirical and sarcastic material. At the very least, their work is meant to evoke thought and create awareness— even if the political opinion of the viewer is not changed.



Yes Men Documentary