Dangerous Art, Endangered Artists Summit

ARC and Art at a Time Like This (ATLT) presented the Dangerous Art, Endangered Artists summit in May and June 2024. With engaging interdisciplinary discussions, keynote speeches, and artistic interventions, the summit underscores the global censorship artists face, while promoting unity and resilience within the creative community to uphold artistic freedom and defend human rights.

Over the past few years, ARC and ATLT have observed a dramatic increase in artistic censorship, ranging from book bans and anti-drag legislation in the U.S. to unjust laws worldwide that threaten artists and seek to erase rich cultures. Amid the deplorable and continued devastation aimed at the civilian population coupled with the immense destruction of art and cultural heritage in Gaza, and critical elections in at least 64 countries this year, this series featured an interdisciplinary assembly of discussions that encapsulate the landscape of an artistic revolution. Discussions have underscored the vital role of artists and cultural professionals as human rights defenders, and signaled the distinct challenges creatives face due to their artivism.

May 10, 2024 – Independent Arts Fair

Art and the Politics of Resistance

Xiaoyu Weng
China

In our age of increased censorship both online and in public policies, does art have the power to catalyze meaningful social change? Or will it fall victim to the repression it seeks to resist? Four artists and curators from different cultural contexts spanning from Ukraine to China as they discuss the interconnectedness of art and social activism.

Lesia Khomenko (Ukraine), Rudy Loewe (UK), Dan Perjovschi (Romania), and Xiaoyu Weng (China) explore the challenges artists face as socially engaged and political actors and the impact that artistic creation has on global social movements. This conversation was moderated by ARC’s director, Julie Trebault.

Compromise and Action:

Participating in a Global Art World

Laura Raicovich
United States

What does it mean for art institutions to operate in a world where censorship exists? Is it possible for museums to be both targeted by censorship and the perpetrators of it? How can museums use their platforms and resources to amplify the work of artists at risk?

Join two art professionals, Tania El Khoury, Director of the Center for Human Rights & the Arts at Bard College, and Laura Raicovich, curator, writer, and editor of Protodispatch, for a conversation on the uncomfortable truths about institutional self-censorship and the critical work currently being done to reinvigorate cultural spaces in “Compromise and Action: Participating in a Global Art World.”

Don’t Delete Art:
Is Social Media Beyond Our Control?

Emma Shapiro
Spain

Art censorship is alive and well on social media, where major tech companies serve as arbiters, dictating what content is seen and what is banned or pushed into the digital margins through algorithmic control. This can have dire consequences for emerging artists who use online platforms to build their careers, earn income, and display their art in otherwise repressive societies.

Elizabeth Larison, Director of the Arts and Culture Advocacy at the National Coalition Against Censorship), Sibila Sotomayor Van Rysseghem, Founding member of collective LASTESIS, and Jenin Yaseen, Palestinian-American visual artist and explore the reality of artistic suppression on social media and the tangible impacts censorship on digital platforms can have on artists’ livelihoods, emotional well-being, and free expression. Emma Shapiro, Artist and Editor-At-Large of Don’t Delete Art, moderated the panel discussion.

June 7 & 8, 2024 – BRIC

Challenges Facing Artists in Authoritarian Regimes

Julie Trébault
France

The artistic freedom summit started off with a Keynote by renowned artist Shirin Neshat as she explores the pressing challenges facing artists in authoritarian regimes. Drawing on her extensive experience as an artist and activist, Neshat highlighted the unique difficulties faced by creatives operating in oppressive political environments.

Neshat delved into the complexities of censorship, persecution, and repression faced by artists around the world, offering first-hand perspectives on how to navigate these daunting obstacles. Through compelling anecdotes and thought-provoking analysis, she examined the profound impact of authoritarianism on artistic expression, as well as the resilience and resistance shown by artists in the face of adversity.

Following her keynote presentation, Shirin sat down with ARC’s Executive Director, Julie Trébault, for a Q&A session.  

Performance – Octopizzo

Octopizzo, a world-renowned musician from Kenya, merges rap and hip-hop with African lyricism. With nearly 5 million followers, Octopizzo is known not just for his music but also for his work as an activist. He uses his platform to speak out against social injustices in Kenya and to raise awareness about issues such as poverty, inequality, and corruption. He often performs at benefit concerts to help support those in need, and he’s been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights.

Artists at the Forefront of Social Movements

Samia Halaby
Palestine

“Patria y Vida” became the anthem for the historic mass protests in Cuba on July 11, 2021. Murals on the streets of Kabul raised awareness of the complex issues of daily life. Amidst a military coup, illustrations documented the political turmoil in Myanmar. Art is the most accessible and powerful way to galvanize citizens. Because of this, artists play a pivotal role in catalyzing social change around the world.

Artists Dread Scott and Samia Halaby examine how artists engage with social movements, discuss the risks they confront, and the profound impact of their own work on broader societal shifts. Moderated by Barbara Pollack, Co-Founder of Art at at Time Like This.

Resiliency in Exile

Dinaw Mengestu
Ethiopia

The power of art is not lost among authoritarian governments that repress and harass artists, often forcing them to migrate outside of the country. How do artists remain resilient in exile? How do they continue to create as part of the diaspora community? In conversation with creatives who live outside of their home country, how do they continue the momentum required to sustain a social movement?

Despite the great risks, Rania Mamoun (Sudan) and Mai Khoi (Vietnam) remained steadfast in their commitment to justice and continue to do so to this day. The two artists will speak on creative dissent, the responsibility artists have to stand by social movements with their fellow citizens, and the ways in which they sustain their artivism outside of the country. Moderated by Dinaw Mengestu, Ethiopian writer and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor of the Humanities and Director, Written Arts Program, Bard College.

Here and Now:
Censorship as a Political Tool in the United States

Aruna D’Souza
USA

As the 2024 United States election draws near, Nikole Hannah-Jones, founder of the 1619 Project, and Aruna D’Souza, author of Whitewalling: Art, Race, and Protest in 3 Acts, will discuss the overt role that censorship plays in the political and social realm. In recent years, the trend has been made visible in the form of book bans, “educational gag orders” spearheaded by right-wing politicians, and exhibition cancellations across the country. 

Nikole Hannah-Jones and Aruna D’Souza delve into the current trend of censorship in the United States and how it intersects with race, gender, and sexuality.

Global Censorship:
What It Looks Like, Who Does It, How to Combat It

Octopizzo
(Henry Ohanga)
Kenya

Artists and cultural workers have been facing an unprecedented rise in repression, harassment, and persecution by State and non-State actors in recent years. But how does artistic censorship manifest itself in Cuba? Kenya? Afghanistan? In the Occupied Palestinian Territories?

The panelists, diverse in discipline and origin, will explore the reality of artistic censorship, specifically delving into how it has affected their livelihoods, security, and safety. The panel will conclude with the artists’ insights on how to counter artistic censorship and to continue creating within a global movement of artists fighting for social change. Moderated by Mari Spirito, Executive Director of Protocinema.

Is Censorship Discriminatory?

Lorena Wolffer
Mexico

Gender violence and social prejudice remain prevalent as global, intersectional movements demand accountability, justice, and equality. The artists on this panel advocate for the rights, agency, and representations of female and LGBTQIA+ communities by blending their art with their activism. In a conversation with female, nonbinary, and trans-identifying artivists, the panelists will share how they resist and challenge patriarchal norms of expression to advance alternative identities and concepts that make the world a safer and more equitable place for all.

Artists from around the world examine how censorship disproportionately affects marginalized communities, stifles dissent, and perpetuates power imbalances within society. Furthermore, the discussion explored the role of art as a tool for challenging and dismantling discriminatory practices while fostering inclusive narratives. Moderated by Jasmine Wahi, Co-Director Project for Empty Space, Visual Activist, Lecturer, and Writer.

Performance – Mai Khôi

At the height of her pop stardom in Vietnam, Mai Khôi spoke out against government oppression and was forced into exile. In her songs, she bears witness to her political, artistic, and personal transformations.