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Undergraduate Research at UMass Dartmouth
presidential elections? How does art affect the decision
of voters? What can we learn from these artistic
interventions? By looking at the trajectory of these
artistic responses, we can better understand the
relationship between art and politics: the ways in
which art making can have an impact on the general
public and how art becomes a tool of resistance for
political dissidents.
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In the 2016-17 polarized election cycle in the US,
artists used their platforms to make a stand for their
beliefs. The political art of the past year has come
to the forefront of protests, awareness campaigns
and the like. This art has focused on a wide range of
themes, from women’s rights, racial justice, LGBTQ+
rights, and criticism of the economy, to foreign policy,
and politicians themselves.
These depictions of political issues have clear and
cutting messages. Through examining the works of
artists, one can gain greater insight into the current
unrest within our nation. And by analyzing what
makes political art effective in its goals, artists can
gain greater understanding of how to successfully
use their skills to become an activist who is engaged
in the society.
My fascination with the topic of artistic responses to
presidential elections and other political challenges
is owing to my interest in art and activism. I major
in Art History with a minor in Women’s and Gender
Studies. In the past three years, I have been a
student employee at the Center for Women, Gender,
and Sexuality (CWGS) at UMass Dartmouth. During
Shepar Fairy’s “Hope.” Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
my time at CWGS, I have been involved in multiple
projects, including facilitating bystander intervention
training and organizing awareness campaigns
for issues like street harassment, domestic violence,
and sexual assault. Additionally, I have had the opportunity
to attend conferences on reproductive justice,
which instilled in me a sense of civic duty and
activism. In April 2015, I combined my passion for art