Acts of Resistance: The Power of Art to Create a Better World

by Amber Massie-Blomfield

What is the purpose of art in a world on fire? Can it be a genuine form of political resistance?

In this exhilarating work, Amber Massie-Blomfield brings together stories of remarkable acts of creativity that have shifted history on its axis, from writer Ken Saro Wiwa combatting oil pollution in Nigeria and British environmentalists taking inspiration from a novel by Edward Abbey to Susan Sontag’s production of Waiting for Godot in besieged Sarajevo and Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit capturing the spirit that drove the civil rights movement. Massie-Blomfield considers the work of artists, writers, musicians, and filmmakers—such as Pablo Picasso, Gran Fury, the Velvet Underground, Alexis Wright, Claude Cahun, and Rabindranath Tagore—alongside collectives, communities, and amateurs who have used protest sites as their canvas and spearheaded movements that have transformed history. Deeply inspiring, it is a powerful testament to the idea that art is not only a salve in the bleakest of times but also can change the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, Social Justice, History, Philosophy, Feminism, Audiobook

272 pages, Paperback

Published November 5, 2024

Reviews

[mia moraru · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘During the siege, [Haris Pašović] founded the Sarajevo Film Festival, now the largest film festival in south-east Europe. A journalist asked him at a press conference: “Why the film festival during the siege?”, Pašović answered patiently: “Why the siege during the film festival?”’

‘There’s no time for despair, their brusque optimism suggests, in a world on fire. Hope is not a state of mind but a survival strategy.’

[Danny_reads]

DNF @ 38%

I'm going to be honest and say that this just isn't adding anything to my life right now. I love the idea behind this book and might come back to it at some point, but it's a bit too dense for my brain to process at the moment.

[Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being among progressively-minded creators for awhile I don't believe any of the major takeaways of this book are new to me. What's really valuable is the collection of examples of resistance artists woven throughout this book - even for people and groups I've heard of before I was given a lot of new insight. Definitely mining the bibliography for further reading

[Teddy! · Rating 3 out of 5]

“It seems to me that arguments about the efficacy of art often miss out the way the experience of art really moves people: sometimes by offering a direct engagement with specific issues, it is true, but sometimes simply by creating a sphere for thinking, seeing and being differently…

How easy it is to overlook the potency of that, in the demand any of us with a social and political consciousness must feel to find the quickest solutions to the multiple crises we witness unfolding every day; how tempting to dismiss artistic gestures that do not make bold claims for the change they will make.”

[Blake Lagneaux · Rating 2 out of 5]

Intrigued by the concept of art as resistance, and admittedly numbed by the daily barrage of bummer headlines, I was looking for a jolt of inspiration. Unfortunately, I didn’t find it here. Although this book is filled with a litany of great (and important) historical examples of art and artists’ roles in acts of protest, for me it failed to coalesce into a compelling narrative. I never want to use the word academic as a pejorative, but this read like a well-researched book report, rather than a great book. And because it didn’t have the burden of convincing me, it all felt a bit dry. It describes such a vibrant spectrum of expressions, cultures, and artists — I think it would benefit greatly from the addition of visuals. For example, it could serve as the framework for a compelling documentary film. I wanted more “show” with the “tell”.

[Amy K · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a non-artist, I found some really thought-provoking ideas here that could also apply beyond the artist-activist space. As the author makes sure to state, you don't have to be an artist by training for these stories to inspire your activism and/or you to lead a more meaningful life in general. Art, activism, and collaboration can be life-saving, and it can also be fun as hell!

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

basically a collection of essays about art’s role in combatting political and cultural crises. very interesting and informative. many different examples tied together with a loose theme, but there was a lot of disconnect even within chapters. each part was well written but didnt flow cohesively as a complete project

[Mike Steinharter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf. Didn’t do much for me. Glad it was a library book.

[DJ Yossarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely essential reading.

[Fiona Bealey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent thought provoking accounts of some remarkable people and events!

[Emmatre · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Indeed, an influential study by Harvard political scientist Erica Chenoweth in 2011, which looked at over 300 campaigns from the last century, found that, remarkably, only 3.5 per cent of a population needs to become actively involved in a protest movement for it to be almost certain to succeed. Their research further found that non-violent acts of resistance are twice as likely to succeed as violence"

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Thoughtful, philosophical musings combine with critical analysis of multimedia protest art from across the world to create a call to action and open ended question of how art will continue to shape humanity. I loved this book.

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of examples of where art has influenced social change.

[Neil Kenealy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compendium of examples of how art is used as a political weapon of protest. They are strung together to formulate a theory of how art can be a form of protest. Only 3.5 percent of the population needs to be involved in protests to effect change. The story is told through examples of using art as acts of resistance.
Chapter 1 The March
The author’s coming of age was a march against climate change extinction rebellion in London with mentions of Nigerian delta protests against Shell and Ken Sara Wiwa's execution. It's peppered with anecdotes back to other protests and much that has worked. One example was Act Up for the recognition of AIDS as a potentially democratically curable disease.

Chapter 2 The Hill
This is about is about Salsbury hill just outside Bath that was due to be turned into a motorway in 1994. Massive road building in the 90s in UK to get away from public transport. Unbelievable!!
Edward Abbely wrote The Monkey Wrench Gang in the 70s about a group of activists who tried to stop a dam on a canyon on River Colorado in Southwest US. There follows a list of stalled projects that were delayed long enough for public opinion and the law to catch up and stop them. Earthrise 1968 a picture of the earth taken from Apollo 8 which was used on the cover of the whole earth Catalog. Said to be most important picture for making humans aware of the fragility of the planet.

Chapter 3 The Power Station
Locals using solar power to power the whole neighbourhood. The value of getting a group of people in the locality to put solar power in their buildings was the group dynamics it created. It was recorded on film how they filled the streets with sunflowers which showed art's transformative potential to unite and inspire.

4 The Village
Bolivia where the US Peace Corps had sterilised women without their consent to reduce number of children. Film made by a group from La Paz called “Blood of the Condor” won international prizes raised awareness and the US Peace Corps was thrown out of Bolivia. First time the locals in Andes had seen a film so they didn't understand that there could be two main protagonists with all the action. They thought like a village which does everything together for the village. We have a euro centric way of telling stories which started with Aristotle in 330 BC and is perpetuated by Hollywood in the 20 and 21st centuries. What if we had to answer to our successor generations about the damage, we are currently doing to the environment by hopping on a plane to manage foe a weekend or buying a sequin dress for one wearing? Thought-provoking.

Part Two is about art under extreme pressure where violence is being used to dehumanise and rob people of their culture.

5 The Island
Two gay Jewish women on occupied Jersey for the whole of World War 2 and risked their lives to subvert the German propaganda. Great yarn and the last line of their memoir says it all: “At least they were taking action”.

6 Siege Sarajevo
Waiting for Godot directed by Susan Sontag amidst the snipers in Sarajevo during the Yugoslav war. Again dramatic because of the difficulties getting into and out of Sarajevo. 3000 shells a day. The purpose of the art is not to change to outcome of the siege it's because you cannot not do art.
Question to the director: Why have a film festival in a siege?
Answer: Why have a siege at a film festival?
7 Concentration Camp
Orchestra in Auschwitz organized by the Nazis themselves to make the genocide seem normal and keep everyone calm. Chilling

Part three

8 The Party
Pre lent Carnival and parties such as Notting hill Carnival in August which had political significance for particular ethnic groups. Orange alternative in Poland before the Solidarity revolution in 1989. State couldn't arrest them because state would look ridiculous. Jokes form a barrier reef of insubordination in work society churches schools

9 The Trial
Czechoslovakia Prague Spring 1968. The Velvet Revolution. “The Plastics” was a rock band with long hair that cemented the counterculture and was targeted and jailed by police. Tom Stoppard wrote a play called rock and roll about them. The band was not interested in bringing down communism. They only wanted a free space for themselves inside communism. Sounds very like growing up in Catholic conservative Ireland. Art becomes political because of who creates it where and how and critically what they are defying by doing so. Ornette Coleman's free jazz mentioned. The conclusion is there's no formula for what art can be. We must embrace the potential of uncertainty.

10 Utopia
Zone to Defend or ZAD (French: zone à défendre) is a French neologism used to refer to a militant occupation that is intended to physically blockade a development project. By occupying the land, activists aim to prevent the project from going ahead. Oscar Wilde said a map of the world that doesn't include utopia is not worth glancing at.
Great bibliography of books referring to each chapter.
A Shakespeare and Company Interview Amber Massie-Blomfield is here

[Lou Q · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. I think it does a wonderful job of collecting different historical examples of artists using their voices and connecting them in ways that continued to keep me invested when I should definitely have been reading other things. The amount of information given is enough that if you are not interested further in a specific event you are satisfied, but if you are like me and desperate to understand everything, get about 20 more books to read and a couple albums to listen to.

I appreciated when the author chose to input her voice and the way she reflects on the different events throughout the book. There is a nice balance between the amount of author input and the wonderful breathe of sources available throughout. This book is very encouraging and hopeful and something I think I needed right now. I'm not sure I would recommend it to everyone, but I have recommended it to about 5 people.

It is also just written beautifully and engagingly, "To me it feels like homesickness for a way of inhabiting this earth I’ve never experienced, but that is right in a way that makes my bones sing and my heart call out."

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Acts of Resistance is sort of a collection, but it reads like a normal book. Each chapter is about a different act of rebellion or protest that utilised the arts to make a difference. It’s a non-fiction book.

It might seem like a boring or preachy sort of book, but I was pleasantly surprised. The tone of the book was hopeful and positive and it did not advocate violence at all. I found the writing style inspiring, but it inspired me to make art, not go out and start a protest, which was nice.

Some of my favourite acts of resistance in the book were the Power Station (I can’t say more without spoiling something), the music at Auschwitz, and the different productions of Waiting for Godot (which I now need to read!).

All in all, I loved Acts of Resistance, but there are some negative points I wanted to make. It does drag a bit, and it is a bit boring at times. However, if you want to find out more about this particular subject area, or you know someone who is really into protest or the arts or both, then it’s worth a read.

I gave Acts of Resistance a 3.5 out of 5, only it’s more like a 3.75.

https://melaniesmithsbookblog.wordpre...

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accessible and vividly detailed discussion of “resistance” as both an approach to living in a moment of rising authoritarianism, climate disaster, and socio-economic precarity, _and_ a strategy for bringing about social/economic/political/legal/cultural change. For artists and creatives who find ourselves wondering “what is the point” when the world is on fire, Massie-Blomfield offers a grounded and pragmatic perspective from the trenches. Some of the artists’ stories she tells filled in the details of already-familiar narratives, and some of them introduced me to unfamiliar work and new approaches to art and art-making. A solid intellectually and emotionally fortifying read.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slightly academic take on art as resistance, and one that definitely fueled a lot of thought for me. Certain chapters appealed to me more than others, of course, and I did find myself skimming through a few chapters (the Sarajevo chapter for some reason stands out as particularly slow).

A caveat: the audiobook leaves a lot to be desired. She has a pleasant voice, but the narrator mispronounces a surprisingly large number of words. Like I almost wondered if it was AI or something. But it doesn’t sound like AI. It was also jarring that the narrator has an American accent (the author is clearly British).

[Aaron Greufe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contemplative and earnest, Amber relays some of the ways in which art (particularly those of the performance kind) have been used to speak truth to power. This book is at its best when it ties in philosophical ideas of the place of art in society but gaskets when recounting more personal experiences that didn't feel necessarily conducive to the overarching questions the book was raising. Still, it was quick and worth a look

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Random library shelf pick - the title caught my eye. Turns out to be mostly the author's found examples of people seeking social change, some using artistic acts. An important topic these days, but rambled on at times, loosely calling something "art" when its really just someone living "creatively". It did inform me of events I didn't know about, though that I'd like to learn more about - Gran Fury & Chilean arpilleras, for example.

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

PS Reading Challenge prompt 6: book that fills your favorite prompt from the 2015 PS Reading Challenge (a nonfiction book)

I live in the United States and with the re-election of Trump, I feel that he's going to do things that I'm going to have to resist. This book is a great read about how art has been used as a tool for resistance over the last few decades.

[Matthew Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book will probably always be relevant, especially for artists looking for meaning in a world that often makes their crafts seem insignificant. Persuasive and engaging, this is a book I’ll probably want to read over and over.

[Matheus Petrone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fell a little flat for me. It had some good quotes and such but most of them were taken from other sources. Not a bad read though, dragged at times but I guess more hopeful than some of my recent reads.

[domi · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘To me it feels like homesickness for a way of inhabiting this earth I’ve never experienced, but that is right in a way that makes my bones sing and my heart call out.’

[Matt Kratz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book about art 🖼️

[Mckenzie Amento · Rating 1 out of 5]

i’m gonna be honest i couldn’t finish this, just felt like it had no applicable practices but was moreso just a hodgepodge of dull stories that couldn’t keep my attention. sorry girl

[Meilin · Rating 4 out of 5]

when you look at art made during hardships + tumultuous times, it should be a wonder that it was made at all

[Alli Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspiring but a bit much at times. Art is great. So are other forms of protest. I liked it overall!

[Jessica Mchale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good .

[Ila Perey · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever find yourself stuck in creative limbo, this book might just help you out of it. It certainly did inspire me.