Provocative Art in a Political Age

Painter, curator and writer Richard Bledsoe's commentary on a recent art exhibit in downtown Phoenix. "In April, at Lotus Contemporary Art of Phoenix, Arizona, a group show of citizen artists took a stand. This will hopefully be the first show of many. What is provocative art in a hyper-politicized age? It’s art that dares to express dissent from the orthodoxy of the ruling establishment. And despite their best efforts to camouflage the nature of their oppressive and destructive grip on the culture, the establishment these days is a hive mind of Progressive dogma. In this era of integrated information, we are witnessing the most concerted attack on freedom in world history. The dysfunctions of the elitists can only be sustained when they can enforce a monopoly. There is perhaps no clearer visual evidence of the failures of the establishment than the contemporary art world. This actually presents an amazing opportunity. The answer is to bypass the filters of the establishment, and take the change directly to the people. Coordinated by Provocative Art 2016.com, this exhibit brought together renowned artists from across the country. As organizer Melissa Dawdy states, '…what provokes interest today is artwork that that expresses freedom within the context of Western Civilization.' It was an honor to take part in this show. Many concurrent streams of free expression were presented: street art, illustration, and fine art shared the space, displaying skill, humor and integrity. We are the swing of the pendulum. This is only the beginning." -Richard Bledsoe 2016 remodernamerica.com Copyright 2016 Remodern America