KRIS HARRIS and LERON WELLINGTON
Staff Writers
“Take your broken heart. Make it into art.” As a closing for her Golden Globe acceptance speech, Meryl Streep referenced her late friend Carrie Fisher to express the importance of the arts and diversity.
In times of political turbulence, the film industry and other media outlets have been striking back in many ways. Only a year after #OscarsSoWhite, we are seeing an immense growth in the kinds of people and stories on screen.
Popular picks include Golden Globe winners for Best Motion Picture “Moonlight” and “La La Land,” two very different films that are both receiving accolades for being avant garde. “Moonlight” chronicles three stages in a poor black man’s life as he struggles with his sexuality, while “La La Land” is a revamped version of the classic musical movie about two young artists falling in love.
Movies and television series featuring cast mainly made of minorities have gotten major recognitions. Notable mentions are “Orange is the New Black” for its third consecutive SAG award and Viola Davis and Denzel Washington’s SAG Awards for the film adaptation of August Wilson’s “Fences.”
President Trump’s immigration ban has sparked major opposition around the world and that, of course, includes Hollywood. This year’s SAG Awards was filled with political pointed speeches from Ashton Kutcher’s opening monologue to Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ acceptance speech where she told the story of her father’s immigration to America from Nazi-occupied France.
David Harbour’s acceptance speech on behalf of the “Stranger Things” cast has gone viral for its parallel between the show’s fictional world and the reality that we are living in today. “We are united, in that we are all human beings and we are all together on this horrible, painful, joyous, exciting, and mysterious ride that is being alive,” he said. “Now, as we act in the continuing narrative of Stranger Things, we 1983 Midwesterners will repel bullies, we will shelter freaks and outcasts, those who have no home. ”
Actors have always used their platforms to address social and political issues, but this year has already seen something of a resurgence in artists involving themselves in social issues. While some would argue that entertainers should not inject themselves into politics, many students recognize the importance of using the platform of fame.
“Being an artist is [the same as] being a politician because art is political,” said senior acting and dance major Ilana Lieberman.
Kordell Hammond, a freshman musical theatre major, said, “If there are young minorities watching the media and they don’t see themselves … It leaves them not being inspired or creative.”
There are still many ceremonies left within awards season with the BAFTAs, Academy Awards, and the Grammy’s. And it could be expected that artists during these high profile events will use these platforms.
It will be particularly exciting to see what will happen during the Grammy Awards, with performances being done by Beyonce, John Legend and Chance the Rapper, all whom have been vocal about several current social issues and strong supporters of former President Barack Obama.
Even within the Fredonia community, artists are feeling compelled to create in midst of the current socio-political climate.
“It’s definitely impacted me recently. The day after Donald Trump was elected I literally wept for a very very long time. I went to Mason, the School of Music, and I sat at a piano and cried and I wrote … the simplest of words, but they were so filled [with] emotion and created something that I actually really really liked out of that experience, as horrible as it was,” said Kate Gratson, a senior music composition major.
“I’m doing an experimental video film right about the general feeling I’ve been having with 2016/2017,” added freshman studio art and art therapy major Shayla James, another student drawing on recent time for inspiration. As a young black woman who also has family that identify as Muslim, much of today’s controversies now strike a major chord with James. “It’s gonna be some dope art … but right now [the world’s] not the best,” she added.
Art, in any medium, can be seen as a channel of catharsis for both the artist and the audience, and to see those accomplished in their medium giving words of wisdom is simply inspiring for those who are just starting to develop their skills. Within the upcoming years, and hopefully beyond that, creatives across different practices will be able to express themselves and achieve what they desire.
For all that is going on, concerning art and politics, it can be summed in a quote said by visual artist Roxanne Jackson in an interview with the Huffington Post: ”I think the role of an artist in general, and especially during this time, is to question the status quo.”