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The entire world seems to be on edge.
Most of us wake up each morning to read about what new crisis has arisen, what war has escalated, what economy is on the verge of collapse, and what tenets and traditions of our country have been further eroded while we slept.
Thoughts about the future are peppered with angst and dread. When the institutions of society and nation are endangered, do we have time for the luxury — hell, the frivolity — of painting, sculpture, music, poetry and literature?
Pondering that question, my mind wandered to the 1996 British dramatic film “Brassed Off,” directed by Mark Herman and starring Pete Postlethwaite. It centers around the troubles and tribulations of a colliery brass band following the closure of their coal pit, a decade after a year-long strike by the National Union of Miners in Britain.
In the film, as in real life, the miners fell into debilitating debt, depression, divorce and despair. Parts of “Brassed Off” (which derives its title from an expression used in the north of England meaning “angry”) note the huge increase in suicides that came about from the demise of the coal industry.
The brass band, conducted by Postlethwaite’s character Danny Ormondroyd, remains together in an act of solidarity and becomes involved in local competitions, believing in the saving grace of music and art. But when his son Phil attempts to hang himself, he decides that the band will stop playing.
He says: “Truth is that I thought it mattered, I thought that music mattered! But does it? Bollocks! Not compared to how people matter!”
That line opens the 1997 hit song “Tubthumping,” (British slang for aggressive political protesting) by the anarchist punk band Chumbawamba.
It’s followed by this joyous earworm: “We’ll be singing. When we’re winning. We’ll be singing. I get knocked down. But I get up again. You’re never going to keep me down.”
“Let me be clear: the song ‘Tubthumping’ was written to celebrate the resilience and tenacity of working class folks who keep fighting when the chips are down…” said Chumbawamba guitarist Boff Whalley, before quipping “The right doesn’t have any good songs.”
I reached out to a number of local artists to inquire as to how they are able to continue to make art during difficult times. Some might find that to be a dubious pursuit, of course, unless one happens to be a devotee of painting or sculpture or comedy or fashion or pop music or movies or comic books or good chocolate or graffiti or rap or dance or literature or photography or architecture or almost anything beyond animal need.
Fairhaven-based painter Ron Fortier, who oscillates between fanciful calligraphic markings influenced by the likes of Cy Twombly and semi-abstracted scenes of tragic historical events (the 1921 fire bombing of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s “Black Wall Street,” Arctic shipwrecks, the kidnapping of children into slavery), responded “I was once asked whether, as a painter, would I rather be sustained or supported by my art. I chose to be sustained so that I can focus on narratives that are bigger than me.
“With our nearly 250-year-old experiment in democracy being attacked, I paint, because as James Baldwin wrote ‘Artists are here to disturb the peace.’ Even if it’s their own.”
Diane Cournoyer, a former classmate from the Swain School of Design who resides in Westport, paints hauntingly beautiful, ephemeral landscapes and still lifes.
Her answer to my question noted that “If there was ever a time, it’s now. With a stifling political atmosphere, we have all appreciated the artist’s response … poking fun, exposing grueling sentiments. We need it. That said, I’ve mulled over my own reaction, and on seeing a recent ‘call for political art’ posting, my imagination painted a bleak picture.
“I’ve been painting mostly images of nature for some time. It’s through this work that I keep myself grounded and perhaps others feel so too, with images of the ordinary. I appreciate those who fight the fight — make those pictures — but presently I’m painting the work that lightens the load.”
Sculptor Keith Francis, who maintains a studio in the North End of New Bedford, responded: “In today’s politically charged climate, I feel that my art is more crucial than ever. I strive to intertwine commentary on societal issues with mixed media to create a powerful discourse that resonates deeply with contemporary audiences.
“By reflecting on themes like war, violence, and cultural upheaval, I aim to invite viewers to confront uncomfortable truths while offering a platform for dialogue. My work challenges everyone, including myself, to think critically and fosters an awareness of the emotional impacts of current events.
“As we navigate the complexities of our time together, I hope the insights and clarity in my art serve as both a critique and a call to action, reminding us all of the profound role art plays in shaping our understanding of the human condition and the societal context we inhabit.”
Taylor Hickey is a printmaker, sculptor and paper artist who graduated with an MFA from UMD several years ago. Her thoughts: “Art is catharsis. It incorporates working with the hands and the mind but what sets it apart is that it works from the soul. It is self-expression, venting, recovering, working through and healing from the day-to-day.
“Art and humanities are what comes out when our physical body has survived the day, but our minds and hearts still need to survive the night. Humanity is music; it’s dancing, visual art, food, drink, objects or clothing. It’s creating something that is enjoyable beyond its survivalist function. It is love and community — and time and time again, it makes history.”
The Jethros, a six-man band who play frequently at Buzzards Bay Brewing, Running Brook Vineyard & Winery, PLAY Arcade, the Pour Farm Tavern and other local venues, are a bluesy folksy Americana band. The members are trumpet player Rick Smith (aka Rufus), guitarist Tom Allen (aka Homer), fiddler Jonathan Danforth (aka Boney), bass player Matt Ryckebusch (aka Gaston), trombonist Mike Gallant (aka LeRoy) and Neil Silva (aka Cornelius). Their collective response follows.
“When people in power try to remove our humanity and our dignity, art and music provide a raison d’être. The simple act of making music in difficult times becomes an act of defiance and self-determination. Creation of art and music is cathartic and reinvigorating. It can inspire action, collaboration and resistance.
“Music eases our minds during difficult times in our lives. It reminds us that we are a community. We are all in this mess together.
“Music reminds us that even when life is difficult or when the odds are stacked against us, life itself is beautiful and worth celebrating.”
Liv Haines Gauthier is the eldest daughter of Sig Haines, a much-respected local painter who often showed locally and in Norway and elsewhere. He passed away in June 2023.
“I started painting a year ago as a way to connect with my Dad after he died. I discovered a part of me that I was unaware of or had buried. Painting has now become one of the few ways that I have found that I can shut out negative thoughts and the virtual noise of the world around me and focus on the present moment, what is in front of me, what I see, and my relationship with it.
“Through painting, I am getting to know parts of myself at my core that no one else can touch. When things are being torn down around me, I can regroup, focus and create something. My best evenings these days are when my husband Mark and I are up in my Dad’s old studio. He plays guitar and I paint. We are together, able to shut out everything outside and make our own peace and joy.”
All those I reached out to responded with resolute hopefulness, whether it was to just keep on making beautiful things, to find unity and friendship and community, to challenge the status quo, or to educate, elucidate, communicate or repudiate.
But what struck me more than anything else was a visit to an alternative art space where I found answers from artists that I hadn’t asked questions of. Dozens of drawings, collages, mixed media pieces and digital artworks were on display.
All the work was done by 6th, 7th and 8th-grade students from Our Sister’s School, a tuition-free, private all-girls school for an exhibition called “The Power of Youth in Art” at the Gallery at Groundwork, 1213 Purchase St., New Bedford (entrance on Maxfield Street). It will be up until the end of March.
The work included portraits of Malala Yousafzai, Kamala Harris, Lady Gaga, Ruby Bridges, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi and Donald Glover.
There were multiple versions of the most popular super-heroine in the world. Brown Wonder Woman, Black Wonder Woman, and Middle-Eastern Wonder Woman were all represented.
There were pictures of pets and still lifes and introspective works.
The artwork by the young women manifested hope, dignity, ambition, respect and self-determination. That itself is reason enough to keep on making art, even in an era of existential dread.
We owe it to them.
Don Wilkinson has been writing art reviews, artist profiles and cultural commentary on the South Coast for over a decade. He has been published in local newspapers and regional art magazines. He is a graduate of the Swain School of Design and the CVPA at UMass Dartmouth. Email him at dwilkinson@newbedfordlight.org
Political cartoonists care all about teaching and motivating at the most difficult of times. While one hand is being crushed in that Spanish Inquisition hand crusher, the other one is drawing a cartoon exposing the injustice and warning others about it spreading.
Inspiring article, Don. Thank you for writing it! It’s okay to be okay:))
Very nice job, as usual. I like to read your writing…I like your vocab and the way you sculpt your pieces.
Karen Zukas
Great article by Don! Multiple points of view are represented here, all expressing heart-felt thoughts that bring together pieces of a large puzzle of hope. The importance of upcoming generations was a brilliant way to wrap it up.
That’s a great story on artists resilience. Artists cut through the bad times. The history of artists doing this goes through all time, which is why we know all time through their art. Can it be called a luxury in this case? I know it isn’t.