03. Celebrity, art, and politics
Art is not made to be consumed, however Art is inherently political. This is not a new idea, nonetheless it remains controversial. Specifically, when discussing if the artists have a duty to be in political activities, which I find to be arbitrary. All art makes a statement, some you can see, taste, hear, or smell. Some art is quiet, whispering. Yet, all art demands to be understood. Maybe this is just unfounded babel, because what do I know? I’m only twenty-one.
According to her website, “Olivia Gatwood is a poet, novelist, and screenwriter from Albuquerque, New Mexico.” Her work was introduced to me in 2021 by my redheaded hometown poet and friend, specifically her poem ‘When I Say That We Are All Teen Girls’, which I linked below. I was so inspired by this piece, I hand dyed printer paper with coffee and scribbled every word into the fibers with my Pilot G-7. The poem still hangs in my room in my mother’s house like a ghost of the angsty teenage girl who desperately needed to be understood. This poem was one of the first time I felt known by a piece of art, which arguably is the same as being loved.
Celebrity and fame are so tightly interwoven with success, it is hard to distinguish who exactly is and is not a celebrity. Even so, artists and creators, of celebrity status or not, are tied to politics. I believe that artists, creators, and celebrities are already involved with politics and political issues, as Olivia Gatwood is my example. Her art, an act of empathy and understanding, compels consumer to exercise empathy themselves, and that is political. Furthermore, the topics Gatwood explores in her work (sexual violence, womanhood, etc.) are inherently political. To my understanding, there is no separation between celebrity and politics.
This week I have watched more TV than usual, which is none at all. Specifically, I watched the second half of the second season of Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’. The series follows the classic and infamous Addams’ Family, with a focus on Wednesday Addams school adventures, and unsurprisingly, family is a central theme to the show. The Addams’ family does not follow a traditional patriarchal family structure, as Morticia is the head of the household. I find it refreshing to see a woman dictate the family’s steps alongside navigating a complicated relationship with her arrogant, teenage daughter. Even though it is marketed as a teen show, I and many of my friends have thoroughly enjoyed seeing gender norms flipped upside down in mainstream media, and I hope you can enjoy it, too.
Madeline’s Weekly Favorites
In no particular order and for no particular reason.
