56 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 24 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H2'ed 9/29/19

Cultural Production in Revolutionary Venezuela: A Conversation with Kael Abello

By       (Page 3 of 3 pages) Become a premium member to see this article and all articles as one long page.   No comments
Message Venezuelanalysis.com .
Become a Fan
  (1 fan)

This is one of the Comando Creativo contributions that I value most, but, if the truth be told, it can't be chalked up only to our intentions. In fact, all this became possible because there was a tremendous desire in our society to look into new means of communication that would not be mediated by external agents. And this aspiration is, in itself, a reflection or a consequence of the majority's efforts to exercise power in a direct way.

Comando Creativo stencils. (Comando Creativo)
Comando Creativo stencils. (Comando Creativo)
(Image by venezuelanalysis)
  Details   DMCA

Cultural production has its own relatively autonomous development, but there are sometimes attempts to contribute to processes of social transformation. Are there any formal features of a revolutionary nature in your artwork or that of other Venezuelan artists today? Are there specific characteristics of artistic production in our context that can lead to social change?

Well, it's a question that takes me a bit out of the comfort zone of reflecting and forces me to enter into the sphere of action. It could seem foolish, but I think that we have always reflected on the relevance of what we make, always questioning the real necessity of our work in light of social processes taking place, and wondering if it affects life, if it has an impact on reality.

I know that this is a complex debate because, in the West, we have arrived at an idea of the artist that is precisely the contrary: a subject whose merit consists in producing work that is outside or it is supposedly outside of any social consideration. However, I am convinced that what we do must have an impact on life. If it doesn't, then, for me, it makes no sense.

In fact, it has been that way through much of history. An example would be that crazy idea that somebody had of giving visual representation to sounds and that led to written language, which in turn allowed us to hack the transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next, accelerating this process.

The impact of cultural or communicational production on life is well known by the centers of power. That is why they shield all their operations with propaganda that has one fundamental goal: reproducing their myths. And by repeating these myths they have tried to make us believe that the current social order is part of a natural order, so that the oppressed and exploited will consider that the relations of exploitation to which they are subjected are simply the way things must be.

In Utopix, we believe that it is imperative to try out new forms of communication, precisely those forms that will address the central social emergency of our times, which is no more and no less than looking for alternatives to capitalism. That is why we make it our central task to explore an alternative, post"capitalist communication.

Obviously, many paths open up from there. We have been talking about three navigation routes. Of course, many more will emerge, and we know that these three are not the only ones to advance toward a post"capitalist society.

So, we are focusing on the following: the first could be called "telling our stories to see ourselves." We do this to give shape to those stories that emerge at the margins of power centers, to bring a more precise and characteristic portrait of what we are with our language, with our colors, etc.

Second, we believe that communication must struggle and resist. This means that we want to locate our work at the points of friction between capital and people. Along with the people, we denounce, summon, protest, organize. Communication, I believe, has a role to play in those spaces where the current power relations are being confronted.

Finally, the third route of navigation is perhaps the one closest to my heart: building the new in that tradition of the Russian constructivists, the Soviet avant-garde. A hundred years later, even though the capitalist mode of production continues to dominate, that proposal lingers and carries its message. We believe that there are spaces where new forms of organization different from those proposed by capital are being tried out.

There, in those spaces, is where we must invent a new kind of communication, one that should be capable of generating new relations. Sometimes we understand this as an invitation to imagine the [new] forms of communication in the world we want. So the question is not so much how books are today, but rather how books will be read in a better society; the issue is not how comic strips are today, but how they will take shape in a society with alternative social relations; or again how a poster should be under different schemes of property than the current world of private property.

Recently we carried out a super-interesting experiment with the Productive Workers' Army to conceive their visual identity. That meant relearning a collective and collaborative dynamic in a process that brought together more than 25 people. In that process, we had to relearn everything that we knew about brand design. Now we are also working on some things hand in hand with El Maizal Commune. The transformative capacity of these exercises, of these attempts, is still to be seen, but for us, this is the main challenge right now. You can see some of these experiments visit utopix.cc.

Utopix worked with the Productive Workers Army (EPO) to create its visual identity. (Ce'sar Mosquera, Utopix and EPO)
Utopix worked with the Productive Workers Army (EPO) to create its visual identity. (Ce'sar Mosquera, Utopix and EPO)
(Image by venezuelanalysis)
  Details   DMCA

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Venezuelanalysis.com . Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Venezuelanalysis.com is an independent website produced by individuals who are dedicated to disseminating news and analysis about the current political situation in Venezuela.

The site's main objective is to (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

U.S. Sanctions Venezuela for Having Democratic Elections (You Can't Make This Stuff Up)

The Latest on the Diplomatic War against Venezuela

Is Venezuela on the Verge of an Invasion?

Venezuela's Guaido Investigated for Aid Embezzlement

Tales of Resistance: No Growth or Prosperity

One Venezuelan Migrant Killed Every Day in Colombia

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend