Limited, numbered, dated, signed and artist certified print on wooden framed aluminium ~
“The artist must be a philosopher. Socrates the skilled sculptor, Jean-Jacques Rousseau the good musician, and the immortal Poussin, tracing on the canvas the sublime lessons of philosophy, are so many proofs that an artistic genius should have no other guide except the torch of reason.“
– Jacques Louis #David, as a member of the National Convention, 1792
“What do you think an artist is? An imbecile who only has eyes if he’s a painter, ears if he’s a musician, or a lyre in every chamber of his heart if he’s a poet – or even, if he’s a boxer, only some muscles? Quite the contrary, he is at the same time a political being constantly alert to the horrifying, passionate or pleasing events in the world, shaping himself completely in their image. How is it possible to be uninterested in other men and by virtue of what cold nonchalance can you detach yourself from the life that they supply so copiously? No, painting is not made to decorate apartments. It’s an offensive and defensive weapon against the enemy.”
– Pablo #Picasso, in an interview towards the end of the second world war
„One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.“
– #Plato
“I am a communist and my painting is a communist painting. But if I were a shoemaker, Royalist or Communist or anything else, I would not necessarily hammer my shoes in any special way to show my politics.“ – Pablo #Picasso, 1881-1973
“Picasso is a communist. Neither am I.“
– Salvador #Dali, 1904-1989
“…I considered any art pointless if it did not put itself at the disposal of political struggle… my art was to be a gun and a sword.”
– George #Grosz, 1893-1959
“The artist’s job is to be a witness to his time in history.”
– Robert #Rauschenberg
“The function of the artist in a disturbed society is to give awareness of the universe, to ask the right questions, and to elevate the mind.”
– Marina #Abramovic, b. 1946
“To make people free is the aim of art, therefore art for me is the science of freedom.”
– Joseph #Beuys, 1921-1986
“If my art has nothing to do with people’s pain and sorrow, what is ‘art’ for?“
– Ai #Weiwei, b. 1957
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Concept, Photography & Art-Direction:
Zhu Yu (CHI)
Rahman Hak-Hagir (AUT)
Performers:
Zhu Yu
Rahman Hak-Hagir
ZHU YU born in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, who graduated at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts with degree in July 2008 is recently working and living in Beijing, mainly using video, video art, experimental film and photography as her media. In the past years most of Zhu Yu´s work focusses on the material of reality. The works mainly takes society as media and living environment as material to explore the possibility of humans in society and environment. She digs the dark humor, and pain from real life, analyzing their roots and the sense of their mysteries to find her own position within. Zhou Yu is the founder of the chinese Artist collective NO-WAY SOCIETY and a member of the international Artist collectives known as #WE and THE OTHER SOCIETY.
RAHMAN HAK-HAGIR (May 15, 1972) is an Austrian-born Vienna-based half-afghan conceptual and performance artist focussing on the conflicting priorities between individual and social environment. He is a founding member of the international artist collectives, known as #WE and THE OTHER SOCIETY.
www.rahmanhakhagir.com
www.zuyu66.com