Amidst the never-ending headlines depicting the world’s
problems, artist, Pedro Reyes, put on a project The People’s United Nations or pUN at the Hammer Museum. It brought together everyday
citizens connected to the 195 member countries of the United Nations it order
to create a forum where they could peacefully discuss solutions to the world’s
problems. There the delegates discussed everything from the development of the
digital world and its impact on privacy to economic equality and water
shortages.
Reyes used his artwork to depict the major issues in today’s
society. He drew inspiration from professionals with ideas about problems and
made them into an artistic piece. One
piece called “Abolish Genetic Tyranny” speaks about the court case Diamond v. Chakrabarty in which the
court allowed man-made organisms to be patentable. This has allowed for
restrictions on access to medical technology and GMO crops. In particular this piece,
falls in line with Professor Vesna’s lectures about BioTech+ Art and the
questions surrounding the ethical use of tissues and DNA. As genetic
modification becomes more prominent, more questions will arise regarding the
proper use of these unique creations.
In another piece “Force Field Analysis”, Reyes depicts a tug
of war scene. This piece captures the ideas of Kurt Lewin, a social scientist
who relates social change to the laws of physics. He claims that situations are
in a constant state of flux and forces impact actions. As Newton’s third law
states, for every force exerted on a system, the system exerts an opposing
force in response. Through a tug of war, Reyes depicts this phenomenon in
relation to social problems. Merging social issues, science, and art, Reyes
created a unique exhibit the serves to educate viewers and inspire change in
the society.
"Pedro Reyes: People's United Nations." The Hammer Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2015.
No comments:
Post a Comment