Art for Change

Allison Zuckerman, Approaching Narnia, 2024, Courtesy Of Art For Change

By DARYL RASHAAN KING April 1, 2024

Art for Change and Phillips Announce Fully Bloomed : A Special Group Exhibition to Coincide with Frieze LA. On View at Phillips Los Angeles, February 24th – March 14, 2024. Featuring original works by artists Allison Zuckerman, Kour Pour, Amir H. Fallah, Madeleine Bialke, Tessa Perutz, Hiba Schahbaz, Maggie Ogden, Pedro Pedro, Darryl Westly, Caris Reid, Becky Kolsrud, and Vanessa Prager. 

Art for Change and Prospect Park Alliance Announce Park of Dreams : A Large-scale site specific art installation in Grand Army Plaza To Surround the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch Construction Fencing: February – Spring 2024. Curated works by Artists Jules de Balincourt, Marcus Brutus, Kelly Beeman, Danielle Orchard, Amy Lincoln, and more.

Sweden's recent inception into NATO reminded me of how my ability to write this particular article came from having a Swedish family. My path in life was somewhat already predetermined because of my mindset. I recently learned about Art for Change, a group focused on "connecting socially conscious art collectors with in-demand contemporary artists and their work." My research into overarching themes and writing prompts coincidentally led me to a conversation between the Journal of International Affairs Ylva Johansson when she was Sweden's Minister for Employment and Integration regarding the Fourth Industrial Revolution, rooted in the most recent revolution in 1969. Electronics, IT, and automated systems have propelled us into a future where technological advancements in the physical, digital, and biological worlds. 

The inherent conflict of this revolution is that it focuses on harnessing converging technologies to create an inclusive, human-centric future. There are dangers to this way of thinking because it looks at how people, as participants in the environment, can use their abilities to positively shape our relationship with nature while also providing sustainability for their families, organizations, and communities. Art for Change has recently used their platform to stage conversations between Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Here in Brooklyn, Art for Change connected with the Prospect Park Alliance as a social partner to display Park of Dreams on view from February to spring 2024. The project is installed around the construction fencing of the Arch. Over in Los Angeles, the company teamed up with Phillips to announce Fully Bloomed. The exhibition was on view during this year's most recent Frieze LA. Art for Change Founder Jeanne Masel sees the "mission as finding ways to raise awareness for climate change and reduce its impact."

Installation image of Park of Dreams in Grand Army Plaza, Photo By Javier Romero Courtesy Of Art For Change

In my mind, the best way to facilitate that kind of dialogue is by scaffolding things according to a theoretical business model that mimics some of the best aspects of the Swedish economy. Otherwise, the Swedish are in the news for facing an expanding crisis after openly welcoming migrants to the country. One method to mitigate these issues is accelerating creativity, employing interconnected solutions, i.e., Art for Change work with the Prospect Park Alliance. Masel believes that "parks are a crucial part of any community, and Prospect Park, in particular, holds a special place in my heart as a Brooklynite. Parks not only connect city dwellers to nature and offer a respite from the hustle and bustle, they support an incredible ecosystem of flora and fauna. Environmental conservation is a central tenet of Art for Change's mission. Curating and producing this project enables us to leverage our deep relationships with artists and, in turn, show our respect for a park that is both a vital aspect of the Brooklyn community and an important ecosystem in itself." It has become so clear that the cost of environmental damage becomes amplified when it's not immediately addressed. 

With our fleeting amount of time, businesses could explore the details of typologies, which involve flexibility, sustainability, and the community. A vast majority of humanity is suffering, and, in our current state of operation, the general standard of living has become more inaccessible for citizens across the United States. After years of people neglecting the importance of environmental conservation, Art For Change invited artists "to confront and contribute to the move toward sustainability by exploring nature and the environment through content, methods, inspiration, or process." Due to scarcity, there is a limit to how many luxury goods can be made and available for purchase, driving up exclusivity. At a certain point, the attainment of wealth is in the hands of a minority, which denies the ability to have an actual market of goods and services. 

The artists selected for Fully Bloomed "confront and contribute to the move toward sustainability by exploring nature, the animal kingdom, humanity, and the environment." When people lose the ability to freely and leisurely participate in the market, unsettlement is pursued. Embracing new technology correctly and streamlining things into a more circular system is one of the first steps that can be taken to avoid this. An upfront investment can ensure that the wealthy can continue actively pursuing their current lifestyle without encroaching upon the livelihood of the poor and the general public. Art for Change and Phillips take on this responsibility with a pledge to plant 1,000 trees to help counter the CO2 emissions produced by the art industry. The main focus of every person in the art industry should be building a better and more robust foundation for culture rather than exploiting the downtrodden. 

Cydne Jasmin Coleby, Remembering I, 2023, Courtesy Of Art For Change

We should apply our best skills to learn from real-life challenges as soon as possible. Everyone can change themselves because we can trace the changes in human behavioral patterns that happened when we were introduced to new technology, i.e., social media, Instagram, TikTok, etc. These applications are dynamic because they can " influence" new initiatives and phenomena with input from local partners. This is profound, given that the average person or "influencer" couldn't make an adequate income through a regular job. Yet, even as more people become the drivers of trends, existing problems that we failed to address in the past, such as women's rights, still deny us any future. We are in the midst of a revolution, where people are more afraid of artificial intelligence now that it has become a visual thing or representation that people can attack. We wanted faster, easier, and more immediate answers, but the scale required is not sustainable. 

Adaptable user modes confront us with the worst aspects of contemporary life. By leveraging their deep relationships with artists, galleries, and collectors, Art for Change "affects positive change in the world by donating a portion of every purchase to relevant non-profits." Artists receive 50% of the net proceeds of each sale to ensure that a direct investment in artists corresponds to a thriving cultural ecosystem. A more informed art collecting process means offering "quality prints and artworks at manageable prices, and by providing art advisory services and best-in-class insights and education to new and seasoned collectors alike." In fact, due to fears of robots taking over the workplace, only highly wealthy companies can afford the cost of implementing and maintaining an advanced robotic infrastructure. This would be impossible to encounter or sustain for most of the workforce. Furthermore, on-the-job training and granting workers access to higher education are matched with better investment in good elderly care, and thus, removing ageism amongst many industries can help differentiate factors for people to survive. WM