A common theme that has made its way into my week was the ability to tell a story and communicate important messages through many different forms of art and media.
One of the first things we did this week was break down hip- hop music and deconstruct what the song is trying to say. The song that stood out to me the most was “This is America” by Childish Gambino. Gambino uses not only his lyrics but a music video to convey the oppression and unfair treatment of minorities but especially of black people in America. He used his lyrics to show the expectations placed on black people in society and the music video to contrast that and show the reality and truth. I think the part that really stood out to me was the end when he was dancing on a car but then that faded out into him running away from what looks like police which I think is used to highlight police brutality.
Not only did this exercise help to open my eyes to the specific messages of this song but it also helped me to apply this to more of the art I see and find deeper connections in the authorial choices used.
This week we also visited the Japanese American National Museum. This museum sheds a light on the struggles and experiences of Japanese Americans during World War II. The museum as a whole uses different kinds of art such as photographs, literature, sculptures, and many other pieces to tell the story of Japanese Americans during this time. I think it is amazing and extremely interesting how each individual artifact adds to context and details of this event in history.
Similarly, one of the most interesting things I found in the museum was the way Japanese Americans used the arts and their creativity to cope. Arts were crafted, music was encouraged, and journalism was encouraged. In the museum I had read that nurturing the creative spirit was something that helped Japanese people survive and manage their lives during this time.
Overall, I think this week really helped me to understand the significant role creativity and the arts play in not only encouraging people to stay strong but also raising awareness about issues and telling their story.
Communicating Change 