can caricatures make a social statement?

[DaveE]

For whatever reason, for the past few weeks I've been contemplating different art forms that have been used to comment on society, everything from protest songs and political cartooning to war photograghy, painting, and sculpture.

For years I've carved caricatures for the 'feel good' and 'smile' factors the carvings invoke, but what if they were disturbing and uncomfortable? Designed to make a social statement or make us think about some injustice? Certainly this is not a concept foriegn to art in general and perhaps not even to this genre. I've smiled at a carved scene of a shotgun wedding without thinking about the reason the wedding was taking place so maybe it's just the way I have viewed the art. I've also seen carvings that depict shisters and some bowed in reverence to thier God, so maybe I have just answered my own question. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Dave

[Greyhair]

Since carvers have an open window to their soul by exposing their art craft your comments are a reflection of who chooses to carve. Carvers are not rabel rousers or noisy politicians. For the most part they are people that are comfortable in their own skin and in their beliefs. They make fun of themselves and poke fun at humanity in their carvings. It is all good natured fun. They neither seek to offend or convert but rather to amuse, enchant, and pay respect to those they love and admire. They are the kind of people that you could sit on the porch and carve with all afternoon on a hot day with few words spoken. But at the end of the day you feel you know the person. You are welcome to carve on my porch anytime.

[DaveE]

Greyhair (sorry I have not learned a more personal handle for you yet),

thanks for the invite to sit a spell. Likewise, your welcome on my porch any time. Without fail, carvers are the best group of folk I have had the pleasure to rub elbows with. This was more a rhetorical question than anything. I'm not sure I would take it any further than polite conversation. As I said I have looked at many carvings over the years and smiled. I really doubt the artists were trying to layer any deeper meaning into the pieces than a snapshot of life, no undertones. I know in my own work I have not tried to do more than get a smile, even if it is just my own.

However (aka but, and isn't there always a but?), the question was CAN caracature be used as such? I'm not asking about the carver but the medium? ShOULD it be used as such? Should we tuck it away as one of the last feel good art forms? I like that idea.

having said that, I would also sugest a noisy polotician can be a good thing if he has something to say (sadly most don't) and sometimes the rabel needs rousing. That's democracy.

Dave

Of course caricature art CAN be used as a social statement or as a form of protest, or anything else the carver wants to depict. *

Just a 'fer instance'! *A carving of a hobo can be interpreted as a statement about the freedom of the road, of the tenacity of the human spirit in tough times, the depths to which the human spirit can decend to, or the commaraderie of the free spirit! *A lot depends on facial features, position of hands, head, shoulders and feet.


Same goes for the caricatures of drunks. *Is this the social, 'Good Time Charlie' or the down and out derilect? *Cowboys? *Is he just alone, or lonely.....check the facial expressions. *It could be a comment on the disapearing breed or a cry for better conditions. *Or it may just be the carvers observation of one wrangler a doin' his job!

I would bet that some wildlife carvers have a political agenda, too, portraying the beauty of our animal compatriots as either gentle or strong, fierce or threatened. *We all have our underlying strong beliefs and everthing we create is filtered through our own experiences and hopes. *And we do tend to romanticise that which we create, either positively or negatively.

If the piece is nostalgic, it may be the artist asking for a social return to a 'simpler' time. *If it is disturbing, it may be a cry for reform. *There is probably more to a lot of carving than is initially aparent. *A lot will have depended on the artist's 'filters', and the individual observer's interpretive ability!

What say you? :-/ :-/ :-/

Al

Guess thats why I like to carve walkingsticks..........political intimidation? LOL

As a carver one could take our art form and give it an agenda for social comment and reform. But the people who have those agendas do not usually have the time to commit to being a carver. To be a good or great carver takes a commitment of time and energy. Those fighting for a cause are usually too caught up in that cause to afford the luxury of spare time for carving.
I think though that we have all carved something with a purpose. I have carved fireman as a memorial to 9/11. So I guess we each do bring with us to the craft our past and our concerns.
By the way my name is Don Bundy

I never thought of my caricatures as sending a statement, What I DO carve is people in every day situations and invariably someone will relate. ( like a fortune teller and horoscopes) I might carve a woman with a rolling pin in one hand and a clock in the other, then I'll carve a guy holding a bottle and staggering a little with his eyes half closed. I'll put the two carvings side by side and more times than not, the customer will purchase them both. A statement? I guesyou can call it that. I stay away from political and religious statements. Great subject you brought up. Big Al

[DaveE]

thanks everyone for responding. I'm not sure why this topic even came to mind. I was thinking about art in general and how it effects people and somehow this popped out. I think I'm on the bandwagon with most other carvers by simply carving what I want and letting people think what they will of it. I do like Al A's talk of 'filters'. kinda explain's how we all have a unique perspective on life... depends on the life we lived!

pleased to meet you Don.

Sliver, you know you can't educate (idiocate?) a polotician even with intimidation. :

Dave

[woodenleg]

A somewhat interesting tag onto this thread: I just returned from a trip to Eastern Europe: the previously communist dominated countries. Of course, one sees all the terrific art carved into church doors, etc. Mostly relief work with various themes.

Then, there is piles of contemporary work for sale on the streets. Their 'caricatures' are mostly the little jewish, Hungarian, Polish, etc. figures in various forms of conducting their lives. Their lives are quite a bit different from ours. They have entire countries that have never driven a car! (Only since 1987.)

It is interesting to see how their carvings differ from ours.

BTW, these coutries are very modern, and they have droves of bright, young, beautiful, people -- full of energy with great personalities and they are learning about the free enterpise system. They are going to be right in there challenging the world for leadership. Mark my words.

I went to Berlin once before 'the wall' came down and then aftwards several other cities/towns in the former east and Checkoslovakia in 1991/92. Alot of change in that short of time!