Evaluative Reflection

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed the Creative Dissent module. The structure of writing weekly blogs has inspired me to do more writing each week about my own work, and even to spend time each week researching what is happening in the world around us; or even, an event in the past that has led us to where we are today. It has sparked my interest in having a political blog for my final year projects, as a new way to inspire my practical ideas, and to continue exposing my own opinions about creative activism.

I began the module being very interested in the psychological powers of war posters on the home front. However, this module has exposed me to an entire range of other political matters and events that I had never heard of. I now find myself fascinated with the shocking matters of police incarceration in America, and the racial injustices that are embedded within the system. I have realised that activist artists do their work to make the change that they want to see in the world, rather than making art for money or public admiration.

One of the most poignant aspects I take away from this module is my wider understanding of how many different forms art activism can take. Being a graphic designer, my interest is directed towards posters rather than performance art. However, I have developed a real interest and appreciation for performance activism, and acquired a much greater understanding for how powerful street performances can be. I realised a performance does not have to be an abstract, over-obscure dance: it can literally be a man standing still on the street for many hours and be just as powerful to make a change.

Throughout the module, unforeseen circumstances have meant that a lot of the teaching has been virtual and this was one of the things I found hardest. It gave me a lot of time to reflect on what I personally wanted to write for my blogs, but also giving me the chance to develop my own independent virtual learning skills to research wider issues myself.

The interactive seminars have allowed me to meet new people who also love to share their opinions and talk about political creative matters. My favourite seminar task was creating a pamphlet, as I was able to visualise my own anger at the gender inequalities of female DJs – which is something I have never done before.

The world is an amazing place, but has been, and is, so full of hatred and dispute that has made social dynamics what they are today. This module encouraged me to read a lot more, where I now read The Week magazine on a weekly basis and I re-discovered one of my favourite books, Visual Impact, by Liz McQuiston, which I have had since 2017. Having the chance to expose my own opinions on the matters I was reading, I feel that I did well in exploring a wide range of topics through my blogs.

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