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2025 Annual Conference

Reno

March 06-08, 2025

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Visual Resistance, Social Practice and Activism

Saturday, October 19 - 2:30PM to 3:30PM

The Social Practice of Photographic Justice, Media Arts and Activism


Focusing on the art of resistance, my talk will focus on the intersection of photography, lens based media and social practice. I will highlight my own work as an individual artist and as a co-founder of Chinatown Art Brigade to consider the possibilities and limitations of lens based art to be a catalyst for   creating empathy and moving audiences to take action on a social justice issue. Art is a powerful tool - it can compel us to think outside of the box, to reimagine a radically different society - one that is more just  - that upholds our common racial, economic, climate and social justice values. 



Through examples from my own socially engaged community-centered artistic projects, I will share best practices and strategies for collaboration that are intentional, interactive, and participatory. I will offer some insight into how artists can help advance social change. There will be a special emphasis on collective process and community-building as foundational to social justice, artistic activism, and social practice work. Some of the questions explored in my talk include: How can artists and cultural work contribute to de-gentrification, abolition and social change work? How can artists use the arts and cultural tools to help reimagine and, perhaps even transform, social and structural relations; or more humbly, to offer just alternatives. What is our responsibility as photographers, media makers and artists in the social justice movement-at-large?

speaker

Betty Yu
Betty Yu

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