Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Humanities, Psychology and Social Sciences
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Artivism: A Shift in Consciousness Designed to Address Gender-Based Violence in South Africa
Prof. Nalini Moodley
ABSTRACT:
In response to growing global challenges and persistent injustices, political solutions have failed. However, history has shown that while artists function on the peripheries they increasingly assumed the role of activists to confront societal inequalities to shift public consciousness towards more responsive and equitable actions. Intersecting art and activism, “Artivism,” challenges entrenched systems of injustice, to provoke societal awareness and foster collective action. As artists are centralised, Artivism has gained traction as a means to address complex realities. In 2022, the Faculty of Arts and Design embraced Artivism to realize the intrinsic value of an arts education addressing social and cultural injustices. This initiative realised the Inaugural Global Artivism Conference, of September 2024. Attracting nearly 1000 participants from 89 countries, the conference provided a platform for artists, educators, and activists to take a deep dive into how Artivism can bring about meaningful shifts in societal consciousness. Situated in the heart of Tshwane, where issues such as homelessness, poverty, substance abuse, and gender-based violence are prevalent, the faculty is uniquely positioned to confront these challenges through Artivism. This paper draws on empirical data to account for how an arts-based education can be reimagined as a tool for addressing deep-rooted cultural injustices in South Africa and beyond. Drawing on global theorists such as bell hooks, Grant Kester, and Nicolas Bourriaud, this paper argues that by reimagining the artist’s role in society, Artivism offers a powerful framework for challenging systemic injustices and fostering social change.
keywords: social justice, gender-based violence, activism, cultural change