François Matarasso (2019) writes that “art creates change, but it should be in the hands of the person who experiences it, not at the command of another, whether artist or funder.”
Matarasso’s quote sparks a series of internal challenges for me when creating my piece of work. Although every artist hopes to ignite some “change” with their art, the lines in which this can happen can quickly become blurred.
First of all, as Matarasso states change should always be in the hands of the person experiencing the work. This is a strong statement which bypasses the idea that change might not happen for everyone. This comment takes away individuality. However, you may make your piece based on a certain target audience. This does not mean those people you have not targeted will not come and experience your work. Due to this, I believe that sparking change for the viewer can not be as certain as Matarasso hints. If you have not targeted or thought about that specific type of person when creating your work, it could potentially mean that the effect and results of your work may not reach the individual.
Moving on I believe that we can delve into the word change a little more deeply… What kind of change do we as artists hope to bring? Physical or mental? This can be confusing when creating work for a targeted audience. People experience art in various ways and not everyone will experience it the same. Some may retrieve your work in a more emotive response whereas others might feel more physically affected. This blurry the lines of what change you want to create.
Moreover, who are we creating change for? However, it should be the viewer who makes the change. As an artist, you are responsible for who the change is for. Do you want to reach a certain group or minority of people or could the change be more personal to you and how you are perceived as an artist? Could it be the weather? Nature? Or even the government? This detracts the agency away from the art. The artist should not be dictated the idea for change – instead, change should happen from within; a more individual process.
Finally, despite the conflicts this quote faces when talking about change, I do believe that it highlights that art is a collaborative experience. It empowers the audience, where typically, the artist is the only one applauded. An artist can create, but without an audience, it would not be art. Working collectively can create more meaningful work with a better response from yourself as an artist as well as the viewer.