Lectures at the MFA - Protest and Performance in Contemporary American Art

Over the last 30 years, artists in the United States have probed the boundary that historically separates art and politics. From AIDS activism of the late 1980s to the Occupy movement and Black Lives Matter of the past decade, artists have taken on a visible role in public protests. In the process, both artists and members of their audience have been called upon to speak, rally, and agitate. Explore a wide range of contemporary art practices that link protest and performance in order to explore art’s role in visualizing and fostering social change. Gregory H. Williams, associate professor, History of Art and Architecture, Boston University Tuesday, October 30, 2018