I attended a performance by Guillermo Pena-Gomez that had a significant impact on my perception of art’s ability to save lives. At the end of his performance he stated that he very much recognized the inherent contradiction of his umbilical relationship to academic institutions and his radical political positions. I appreciate his embrace of contradiction and I think it alleviates a certain tension to admit as much.
The message that he left us with was one of hope. He stated that for oppressed people who have no access to traditional notions of power, whose voices are not heard in mainstream media and whose experiences are not accounted for; Art is the only means to achieve control of one’s story and in effect have power.
I can agree to the above premise. However, I think that Guillermo alludes to a very specific kind of art making and story telling.
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