PROJECT: As a class, organize a “Kilowatt Not!” competition” between two living units on your campus.
The artists in this section all activate their audiences, but they utilize contrasting strategies:
- Instigating physical action is the strategy for Ant Farm (graffiti-ing), HeHe (unplugging), Chin (drawing), Hundertwasser (painting), Kaprow (walking), Sherk (farming), and Yeh (learning). However, the physical action is not the goal of these works of art. Each physical action induces a mental shift, i.e. a new awareness of invisible contaminants (Chin) or distress regarding water diversion tactics (Kaprow).
- Instigating mental action is the strategy for Beehive (provoke outrage), Beuys (inspire creative thinking), Franceschini (convert apprehension to reception), Mandiberg (induce guilt), Reyes (reduce fear). However, mental action is not the goal of these works of art. Each mental action induces a shift in behavior, i.e. new awareness results in reducing unnecessary travel (Mandiberg) or converting to non-fossil fuels (Beehive).
READ: TO LIFE! Any three artists mentioned in the previous paragraphs.
PROJECT: As a class, organize a “Kilowatt Not!” competition” between two living units on your campus. The winner is the unit that uses the least energy per person over the course of one week. Half the class devises and carries out a strategy to activate the residents in each living unit. Try to apply the strategies of the artists in this section.
DISCUSSION: Analyze the strategies utilized by each group to activate the residents. Compare the results they generated.