Martha Rosler is an artist who delves in the realm of avant-garde art. Her work is very peculiar about what it wants to say and the method through which she gets her message across is a very thoughtful and creative one.
At the Jewish Museum on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the exhibit that I could connect to the most was Martha Rosler: Irrespective. Her works of art attempt to shed light on the injustices in the United States and around the world during her lifetime. In essence, she attempts to show the world what she thinks is unfair in terms of how different groups are treated. What makes Rosler different from other activists, however, is the fact that she uses avant-garde art to promote and spread her ideas.
Avant-garde art is art that is not traditional, in the sense that it follows Dada or Pop art. It is not traditional in the way that it does not follow the medium and message of classical works of art. Classical works of art, such as the Mona Lisa or The Creation of Adam, normally tend to delight the viewer by offering pleasant or thoughtful view. However the purpose of avant-garde art is to be experimental and innovative, and even urges the viewer to come up with a different answer to the typical question, “What is art?”.
Martha Rosler: Irrespective
The work of art that I found most appealing was placed in the exhibit that displayed Rosler’s most recent art. It is titled, “Point n Shoot”. Produced in 2016, in the heat of the presidential elections, Rosler took a photo of the moment President Trump made one of the most controversial statements at a press conference as he rallied for support. Then president-elect Trump made a remark saying he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and [I] wouldn’t lose any voters”, as the crowd around him jumped and praised whatever he said. This grotesque remark made national headlines and caused massive controversy, as this was two months after the San Bernardino shooting that claimed 14 lives.
What made this work of art most interesting and appealing is the background of the photo had inscribed the various names of people of color who were killed due to police brutality and the lack of gun reform. This piece of art was the most chilling to me, as it forced viewers to make the connection between Trump’s blunt comment and the fact that many minorities lives have been lost during police encounters because of unjust laws that protect police from serving time due to these crimes. Many police officers have not been convicted or have been simply let go on paid leave when it comes to cases that resulted in the death of a person of color.
The names of the person killed, the age they were at the time of their death and the city/state are also mentioned. To the right of Trump’s shoulders were the names of individuals killed, that have made national headlines. Tamir Rice, at age 12, was shot and killed in Cleveland by a police officer after he had been playing at the local park with a water gun. The two police officers involved were placed on paid leave and were the grand jury decided to not indict them–essentially letting them go free without any consequence of taking away a young, innocent life. It was very chilling reading through the names of the list, and it became increasingly easy to understand just how universal the issues of gun control and police brutality are across the nation.
Martha Rosler: Irrespective
Rosler’s “Point n Shoot” is experimental in the way that it takes a photo of a press conference and the exact words of the President at the time the photo was taken, but also features the names of people of color who have been killed due to a lack of gun reform and police brutality. Work like this has never been very popular or reached mainstream media, especially if it is as political as this specific pease. All in all, there is nothing in this work of art that says this is Rosler’s exact point, however it is up to the viewer to make valid connections in order to come up with a conclusion. This is how the work of art attempt to make a change in the viewer or how the world views this certain topic.
Hi Karina! You’re right about how chilling this particular piece was; I spent a long time studying it when I first found it. It does provide commentary on a lot of issues that plague the country, like police brutality and gun reform. I think Rosler’s way of bringing attention to these problems was very effective, and really wanted to get the viewer to confront pressing topics that go largely unaddressed or are suppressed by mainstream news outlets and other forms of media. When we have a president that talks about how he could shoot people without consequence, it makes you realize how even people who aren’t in a position of power NEARLY as high as his get away with killing someone anyway. Overall, great job on this!
Hey Karina,
My first reaction upon seeing this piece was a huge eye-roll becuase day in and day out we are constantly seeing news broadcasts that headline the irrational and ludicrous things that our “president” says, whether its verbally or on Twitter. As we all know, he is famous for making very insensitive and selfish remarks about various political issues and the people he is supposed to serve, lead, and protect (having their best interest in mind). Your analysis of this piece by Rosler wholeheartedly encompasses the message she was trying to convey. I also think by adding the names and ages of people who have lost their lives to gun violence she adds an extra layer of complexity to this issue. It forces us to really sit and think about the laws we have in place and the officials we have elected. (Another reason why, if you’re 18 and older and a U.S. citizen, you need to get out and vote!!)
Great job!