Society / Politics

Art observes poverty, injustice, political and social failure, and also war, suffering, sickness, and death. Critical art that opposes ignorance, neglect, falsehood, and indifference by addressing political, social, environmental, and moral issues deserves our special attention. Artists employing their talent for exposing and pointing out problems and for waking us up deserve our respect. They are witnesses whose artistic talent, sound conscience, watchful intellect and capacity for empathy enable them to create pictures with an alert heart and sharp gaze that prevent our perception and critical faculties from falling asleep amidst our wealth - or our empathy for those who are less privileged.

So is art allowed to also be disquieting, unsettling, even mean and ugly? By all means!