The issue about art is that many people fail to recognise its potential; in seeing a piece at an exhibition they may stop and think ‘ahh this looks nice’, but little do they realise that this piece is in fact a direct response to the tyranny raging in Libya, or a vessel giving the victims of assault a voice. In assuming that the absolute function of an artwork is to look good, the viewer has ultimately voided the true purpose of the work—to alter public perception in aid of bettering the society we live in. Fortunately, however, certain artists have broken out of this ‘décor only’ zone and have succeeded in enlightening the wider public to the messages behind their works. Renowned Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei, and Indigenous artist, Tony Albert, are two such individuals who have repudiated that naive perception, raising their voices in a call for justice through fostering awareness of the prejudice present in today’s world and influencing public perceptions to better society.
Artists are able to influence a large variety of people across the globe through their work. The influence of art is heightened by its visual nature and the fact that it can appeal to a side of human nature that persuasive speech cannot reach. How this influence is utilised varies from artist to artist, however it is those who use their power to aid others, even putting themselves at risk in the process, as in the case of Ai Weiwei, who are true heroes of art in my eyes.
An active controversial artist from a young age, Ai Weiwei uses his work to ‘critically address artistic traditions and conventions’, goading us to question the... The rest of this article is available to subscribers of Eyeline