In What Ways Can Subversion Develop Creativity In Relation To Practice?

I will be exploring the question "in what ways can subversion develop creativity in relation to practice?".

I will be researching this over the next couple of months and will be posting my discoveries and development here. This is the begging of my body of research and it will be written partially as a train of thought.

To begin, I decided to look at what "subversion" actually is by definition (from Dictionary.com):

subversion

səbˈvəːʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. 
   
2. 
   
3. 
   
4. 
   
5. 
   
6. the undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution.

   
   

   "the ruthless subversion of democracy"

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   So if we put the the definition with the question we get:

   
   

   
   

   
   

   "In what ways can the undermining or the power and authority of an established system or institution develop creativity in relation to art practice?"

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Initial thoughts:

   
   

   Revolution

   Consequence

   Repercussions

   What are you fighting against?

   What kind of system? 

   
   

   Subversive Art 

   I found an article on huffingtonpost.com helpful as a starting point (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-to-make-subversive-art_us_55f846f7e4b0c2077efc266c) with led me to another article: An Exclusive Essay By Ai Weiwei: ‘On Self-Censorship’ (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/19/ai-weiwei-self-censorship-ullens_n_5509225.html).

   Although written in 2014, it is still relevant. 
7. Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist and activist working in a range of mediums. Weiwei comes from a very different background, with China enforcing censorship far more ruthlessly and pervasively that what I know here in Western society. This censorship extends to all creative output that could be seen or heard by the public, be it exhibition, publication or on the internet. 

1. 
   

"This strict censorship of information and expression affects not only myself, but the artist community and the whole of society. For mixed reasons, institutions are self-censoring in order to survive, some even to reap benefits."

"In China, party policies may not affect you as an individual, but work through your organization, your landlord, your relatives and your associates. Even if you act independently, the power influences those around you."

In this text, Weiwei explains that by way of threats, people lose their sense of independence and with that their individuality which I believe is an important part of the creative process. These threats don't only affect those who want to express their ideas but as Weiwei writes: 

"They can also brainwash anyone who simply wants to function as a part of society. In order to gain financial and personal security, people need to conform to behavioural standards without asking any questions or attempting to tell right from wrong. Censorship is a system that creates absolute power and paralyses society, removing the people’s courage to make judgements or bear social responsibility."

He also adds, "More often than not, self-censoring and the so-called threats related to it, are based on a memory or a vague sense of danger, and not necessarily a direct instruction from high officials." Here follows an old Chinese phrase: "killing the chicken to scare the monkey." This is something I'm sure most people are familiar with, whether from films, stories in books or other representations, the idea that punishing an individual (or individuals) will teach others a lesson. 

This censorship extends as far being enforced to the local area network (LAN) giving the citizens of China limited access to information, as well as privacy, on the Internet. This is something that seems quite foreign to me. I prefer to look in books rather than search the internet but in our western society, it is the norm to look up information through the internet at a click of a button or a touch of a phone screen. Quick information, quick gratification. Having our information surveyed, even if it is, isn't something most people think of. The person looking up dark content on their laptop is unlikely to worry much about someone finding out. So the idea that you wouldn't be able to access content on the internet is a strange thought. 

Key words from article:

Oppression

Intimidation

Censorship 

Back to the question.

Ok so, I went off on a different thread of thought there. I think it is important to understand how other areas of the world might view subversiveness, as it is likely to differ from my own.

Is creativity in it's self a form of subversion, as it is the free flow of ideas without being censored? 

Synonym:

Rebellion- eroding the basis of belief in the status quo.

rebellion

rɪˈbɛljən/

noun

1. an act of armed resistance to an established government or leader.

   
   

   "the authorities put down a rebellion by landless colonials"

   
   

   synonyms:

   uprising, revolt, insurrection, mutiny, revolution, insurgence, insurgency, rising, rioting, riot; More

   • the action or process of resisting authority, control, or convention.

     
     

     "an act of teenage rebellion"

     
     

     synonyms:

     defiance, disobedience, rebelliousness, insubordination, mutinousness, subversion, subversiveness, resistance, dissent, nonconformity;

   • Feminism comes to mind. The fight for gender equality. 
   • Cultural subversion. Patriarchy, individualism, scientific, rationalism. 

Antonio Gramsci (an Italian Marxist theorist and politician) stressed that, "Communist revolution required the erosion of the particular form of cultural hegemony in any society." (Ross, 2005, pp.2-3). I think this is the case for any revolution. 

Back to the question.

Outdoor advertising, subtly being changed to subvert. Straight away the work of Banksy comes to mind. This is more his subtle changes to classic oil paintings rather than adverts. However, this image stuck in my memory:

Banksy

Street art is something so blatantly subversive. Firstly the very act of doing it is undermining authority. It challenges the law and it challenges peoples views of art. Whether it is propaganda or an artist trying to get noticed because no gallery will take him seriously, whether its stickers, or paint on a wall. This is something I will jump back into at a later date.

Culture jamming?

Some other initial thoughts after looking back to the question:

It allows you to be free about what you are creating.

By undermining you are also challenging.

It develops creativity by allowing your practice to be free. By not letting yourself be bound by what others might deem to be anti-establishment, anti- social, anti-humanity, etc. 

Something you feel passionate about or believe in and that spurs you on to create work, making you look at others who have been subversive in their practice. Inspiration that furthers your creativity. 

Bibliography
  
Dictionary.com. (2017). Rebellion. Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/subversion

Dictionary.com. (2017). Subversion. Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/subversion

Mallika, R. (2014, update 2017). An Exclusive Essay By Ai Weiwei: 'On Self-Censorship'. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ai-weiwei-self-censorship-ullens_n_5509225

Ross, C. (E.d.). (2010). Sub-versions: Trans-national Readings of Modern Irish Literature (44 vols.). New York: Rodopi