Activism in Art

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— 
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— 
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

-Niemöller

Art has a profound impact on culture.  Most can agree with that.  Its been used as propaganda and also a way to spark hope.

Its been used to critique social wrongs and make a message.  Pussy Riot comes to mind.  

Considering the role of the artist as an activist, it was never clear to me, what duties if any, should an artist have to take on.  Are they obligated to tackle current issues dealing with social inequality and injustice?  Seeing that most artists enjoy staying out of current affairs, my feelings toward activism never strayed far from just being thoughts.  But today I was reminded of a quote I first read inside a Sepultura cd by Niemöller.

Its our duty as citizens to do what we can.  To voice our opinions and fight for what we believe in.  As artists, our tool is the paintbrush, the camera; our voice may be small but a small voice is better than having none.

courtesy of botheman.com