Donald Kuspit Activist Art Analysis

Attempting to change social and political conditions, activist art has recently been a popular subject among artists and art critics alike. Those most active within the art market have much criticism for activist and political art. Activists however, don’t seem to be too concerned as their main priority is the activism rather than the physical, which is where most criticism is based. Critics believe activist art cannot be considered true art because it is leaning on a notion of morality. They also believe it is lacking a certain quality of art and because it serves a function, it cannot fit in with traditional fine arts. Activist art also, in a way, distances itself from traditional fine arts by sometimes presenting itself as unappealing as
He argues no activist artwork is for the pure sake of art itself. They offer no artistic innovation or creativity, and simply would not be able to acutely represent themselves without moral justification. Kuspit remarks that activist art is a “subliminally anxious response to the modern inability to achieve a totally cohesive, seemingly self-adequate work of art”. He cites an example of the artist Ross Blecker who only after creating his black paintings did he think to attach an ethical standpoint of supporting AIDS victims. An ethical standpoint simply gave his paintings a certain significance that was otherwise not needed.While we all may believe that activist art may have a noble cause, Donald Kuspit believes it holds no place within the art
What is the one property in artwork that makes us regard it as true art? The answer is near impossible to define and neither clear nor objective, but according to Leo Tolstoy in his essay What is Art: Art is, not as the metaphysicians say, the manifestation of some mysterious idea of beauty or God; it is not, as the aesthetically physiologists say, a game in which man lets off his  excess of stored up energy; it is not the expression of man’s emotions by external signs; it is not the production of pleasing objects; and above all, it is not pleasure; but it is a means of union among men, joining them together in the same feelings, and indispensable for the life and progress toward well-being of individuals and of humanity.
In Leo Tolstoy’s definition, the highest form of art is that which brings people together for a greater cause and for the bettering of humanity. Activist art attempting to bring attention to social and worldly issues certainly brings people together, and when these people are brought together, they are typically all in agreeance that a change is needed for the betterment of humanity. Activist art holds a special quality in that it is able to call out to masses and heavily influence others to become aware of current issues within the world and truly inspire people to make changes within their lives to help whatever