ASU West Valley Art Against Israel
Art as Partisan Politics
Art is no longer about beauty or form. It is now about activism. Radical activism. The artist picks a cause and then “makes art” to “raise awareness.” The “art” is meant to get you to think the same way as the artist. The artist is attempting to teach you how to think about a current event.
Today, I received an email from ASU West Valley. It highlighted an art exhibit at the ASU West Valley titled “Uninvited Guests.” This is all public information sent out by ASU but I will continue to avoid using names where possible. Here is the description:
“[the artist] thinks that is [sic] important to remain critical about how humans occupy and settle land and to consider the legacies of settler colonialism that impact non-human life as metropolitan areas continue to expand. He hopes his work will enable visitors to make connections between multiple forms of localized and global displacement and forced relocation, particularly in light of current events in Gaza and the plight of Palestinians as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine, the migrant crisis, and domestic displacement following wildfires, flooding, and other natural catastrophes.”
You can see this fits the “art as radical activist politics” I described above. You are meant to think the same way as the artist. It is to raise your awareness about a radical political issue and adopt their solution.
ASU West Valley failed the same easy test that so many universities failed after the terrorist attack on Israel. After Israel was attacked, there were national news stories about professors saying those killed in Israel are settlers who don’t count as citizens. Here you have that same “settler” language. ASU West Valley has made no public statement affirming Israel’s right to defend itself. But it does host this art exhibit against “settler-colonialism.”
Will ASU West Valley also give time and space to a pro-Israel art installation? Or are only radical activists welcomed and hired there? Are Jewish students, and those considered “settlers,” safe and welcomed at ASU West Valley? Will they be shown the same respect as other students and faculty?
Parents and students, donors and legislators, is this what you expected out of ASU West Valley? You need to know what is going on at ASU West Valley.