Can Art Change Society?

It might be the only thing that can. A compendium of the most interesting art projects, case studies ...and how they improbably transformed and shaped our reality for the better. Our methodology draws on the following lessons and examples of social change.

As Camus pointed out, "All great things have ridiculous beginnings."

The American Dream has steadily moved towards a delusionary state of madness, Don Quijote charging Windmills as if they were Monsters. The first step - find our common ground in REALITY. That is what we do here., using the power of sheer imagination.

THE NECESARIUM: In pursuit of that which is necessary for a better life

CASE STUDY #1

THE NECESARIUM

Between the years 1995-2003, the Mayor of Bogota hired mimes to ridicule traffic violators and stigmatize chaotic and selfish "me first" driving habits. The result?

Traffic fatalities were reduced by 50%

" I served two terms as mayor of Bogotá. Like most cities in the world, Colombia’s capital had a great many problems that needed fixing and few people believed they could be fixed.Here’s what I learned: People respond to humor and playfulness from politicians. It’s the most powerful tool for change we have."

- Mayor Antonus Mockus

Mayor Antonus Mockus was elected at a time when violence was rampant and elected officials were being threatened or killed during the civil war. When his own life was threatened by FARC, his response was also play. Mockus acknowledged the threat by donning a bullet proof vest. But he cut a hole in it in the shape of a heart.

Notable Accomplishments of Mayor Mockus Included:

During a historic drought water usage dropped 40% through voluntary efforts, a campaign with the Mayor talking to the public while showering.
Drinking water was provided to all homes (up from 79% in 1993)
Sewerage was provided to 95% of homes (up from 71%)

Violence Reduction & Voluntary Taxes

7000 community security groups were formed and the homicide rate fell 70%.
When he asked residents to pay a voluntary extra 10% in taxes, 63,000 people did so.
As a champion of women's rights in a male dominated society, Mockus created a"Night Without Men",on which the city's men were asked to stay home for an evening to look after the house and the children while the women went out. The city sponsored free open-air concerts, bars offered women-only specials, Ciclovia and the city's women police were in charge of keeping the peace

Antonus Mockus was an unlikely political candidate. He was not a lawyer, had no political training or background. What he had going for him was he was an extremely independent thinker who was not captured by instutionalized thinking. He became the most popular Mayor of Bogota. He was elected at low point in the cities history. Previous to being Mayor he was a philosophy professor with a Masters Degree in Art who had been the President of the University until he was sacked for mooning an auditorium of raucous college students when they refused to be quiet. He noted "they did become quiet when I did that - that's how shocked they were."

He decided to run for Mayor of Bogota and he won.

Mockus had the temperment of a situationist and during his tenure he created a number of situations, deciding that the most intractable problems of the city would only respond to completely new approaches. In addition it was his intention to treat his time as Mayor as a social experiment towards creating better lives and outcomes for the citizens of Bogota. Nobody believed that Mockus's crazy ideas could work - except his fellow artists.

Aside from hiring mimes to teach drivers correct etiquette in busy intersections with the highest traffic fatalities, Mockus faced water shortages, threats to his life from leftist guerillas and all manner of problems related to violence and poverty.