Art for solidarity
La Escena - Santiago Martinez
February, 2020
If there is a world in which we can see some hope of solidarity, it is the world of Art. Contemporary plastic art has always been a participant in causes it has considered just, critical of inequality and intolerance, and has been immersed in manifestos and proclamations that champion rights for citizens; hence this empathy between the act of solidarity promoted by Doctors of the World and the field of artistic practice. There is no one better than a person immersed in these worlds of art to show receptiveness towards an act committed to humanitarian causes.
It is necessary that there are collective exhibitions like this one, they testify how, from the plurality of languages, solidarity projects are born that transcend individual interests, propitiating synergies and unleashing complicities that expand among us, making us participants of the commitment with respect and tolerance. This exhibition is not only an act of generosity of the people who collaborate, it is a unique opportunity to reflect and to warn of the great transformative potential we possess.
Each work, from its technical, formal and conceptual uniqueness, is a piece of solidarity, it is energy in its pure state that comes from the vitality with which each artist impregnates his work. Let's imagine these artists in the self-absorption propitiated by the act of creating, in that solitude sought in their studio or workshop, in the middle of the process of gestation of the work that we now have before our eyes; from that necessary introspection and from that plastic truth that each one stands for, they offer us the opportunity to contribute in the construction of a common project. In this sense, creation is doubly generous, giving "a part of your art" is to give a part of yourself and, acquiring it, multiplies its value and meaning, helping to convert reality into another, as a kind of healing balm.
I admire the initiative of Doctors of the World and that of each of the people who collaborate in this project. Underlying it is the importance of solidarity, a key to individual learning and human growth, a model that educates us in the need to contribute and continue to support projects like this one, committing ourselves to building a more egalitarian and freer world. As a teacher and coordinator of artistic projects, I have always believed in the importance of prioritizing activities that are committed to their plastic contributions but, above all, contribute to the cultural and social formation of people, projects that are not only a stimulus for the eyes and for the moment, but that, through the reflections that they give off, motivate the mind and "our inner self", contributing to our enrichment and improvement as human beings.
Education is the key to coexistence, and art is one of its most related tools. Apart from the material support that can be obtained with this exhibition, the formative element it contains is fundamental. Martha Nussbaum states that education is the bulwark of our existence and training in the humanities is essential for shaping a fairer world. "I believe that the most important ingredient for the health of democracy is the education of citizenship," says the American philosopher. Therefore, beyond the economic objective, there is the lesson of humanity that it brings us, underlining how the wealth and plurality of styles that make it up are a reflection of the social, racial and cultural diversity that shapes the world around us; the harmony of different plastic languages exemplifies how, from respect and coexistence, we can respond to universal needs, contributing to a world in which the most disadvantaged are considered and respected.
The plastic arts are necessary nutrients for existence and are always at the side of those who need them.
"Art for solidarity"
Collective exhibition organized by ‘Médicos del Mundo’
Trascorrales Building, Oviedo
Until 28 February 2020
Santiago Martínez is a professor of Art History
Text published in the Catalogue Artists by ‘Médicos del Mundo’