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Guest article by Beth W. Stewart. Beth is a Vancouver-based scholar-activist abstract artist, and one of our own here at Galerie Stein. Beth has shared her process of abstract artivism at academic institutions and events worldwide and has published on the subject in academic journals. Her own practice as an abstract painter began out of an urgent need to express the complexities she encountered in her academic research in post-conflict northern Uganda.
Abstract artivism. I feel the world needs it now more than ever.
Abstract artivism blends the freedom and expressiveness of abstract art with the mindful intent and passion of activism, creating a unique form of social and political commentary.
'That which cannot be understood (but needs some pretentious instruction book to justify its existence)' by Vancouver-based abstract artist Beth W. Stewart. Inspired by the resistance of artists labelled "degenerate" and persecuted by the Nazis in WW2.
Unlike traditional activism, which relies on clear, direct communication of messages and symbols, abstract artivism uses color, form, texture, and emotion to provoke its audience emotionally and intellectually. Abstract artivism challenges norms, encourages reflexivity, and inspires change.
Its power lies in the ambiguity of abstract art, which doesn’t tell viewers exactly what to think. Instead, abstract art allows viewers to interpret the art’s meaning personally. This ambiguity makes abstract artivism particularly potent for addressing complex issues that can feel overwhelming and incomprehensible, such as climate change, war, and structural injustice.
'Six Bardos: Hymn (Behind the Sun)' by Julie Mehretu, 2018.
Artists like Julie Mehretu (above), Mark Bradford, and Jose Parla, for example, use abstract forms to address social and political issues. Their paintings are infused with layers of meaning that resonate on a visceral level. By engaging emotions, abstract artivism encourages viewers to go beyond intellectual understanding to feel the raw urgency and empathy that can be evoked by bearing witness to complex issues.
Abstract artivism also disrupts traditional expectations of activism and art by expanding what it means to participate in social change. It invites people to engage with activism in a more open-ended way, meeting them at the intersection of personal reflection and public discourse.
Ultimately, abstract artivism is praxis--it's a creative practice that is simultaneoulsy transformative. It sparks conversation and challenges the way we see and feel about our world. In this avenue of creative expression art becomes a subtle but powerful source of hope by inspiring our radical imaginations to envision a better world.
Read more about Beth's process of abstract artivism: "Abstract Art as Making Sense of What Is Senseless."
