SXSW

LOVE HATE was invited to represent Europe at SXSW 2022 by the EU Delegation to the US where they were debuted at the EU House in the Native. The LOVE HATE Opening Reception took place with speeches by German Consul General in Houston Kai Hennig, French Consul General Valérie Baraban, and EU Ambassador to the US Stavros Lambrinidis. As the sun began to set, the sculpture was illuminated in blue and yellow spotlights, symbolizing the EU's solidarity with Ukraine.

C’mon, Can Art Really Change the World?

Mar 14, 2022 4:00pm – 5:00pm CT Native

Presented by the European Union

A panel discussion took place, titled C'mon, Can Art Really Can the World?, moderated by Philippa Hughes, which dealt with the concept of art & activism. Other guest speakers included jazz trombonist Shannon Gunn, visual artist Courtney Applequist and Swedish musician Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité, who all use their art as platforms for social justice causes. Artists play an important role in activating change. Art empowers the silenced and challenges the status quo. It can disturb, but also inspire us to envision the kind of world we want to live in.

You can read Mia's contribution below:
Art has always changed the world - it is a guarantor of democracy, freedom of expression, and a culture of debate.
Artistic freedom is an indicator of democratic societies and must always be defended.
History shows that artists, like seismographs, sense social/economic tensions and make them visible to the public through their works.
That is why art in public space is the number one exhibition platform that inspires us for a change of perspective.
Art plus resistance/activism = ARTIVISM!
This is the answer to conflicts of the 21st century.
In the terrible example of Ukraine, we see what people around the world are capable of doing to defend their democratic values (which include artistic freedom):
They demonstrate, they show solidarity, they use word and deed, they improvise, they use their creativity, they create a common narrative and they are literally a living example of how an image can turn into a movement.
That's LOVE HATE for me - it's not an artwork - it's a revolution!
We are all children of the revolution.

MORE INFO HERE

Check out the entire discussion here:
C'mon, Can Art Really Change the World?