Expression, Culture and Political Consciousness
Historically young people have often felt excluded from the political landscape, however, this past presidential election made it clear that young people are major players once they’re acknowledged.
Art is used to express an array of ideas and emotions. It has the power to resonate with a viewer and it can also change one’s opinion on a person or a topic. Posters for political campaigns can be made with the intent to do just that, or they can be created by artists who simply want to express their own views. For example, Shepard Fairey’s Obama “HOPE” portrait became an iconic image during the 2008 presidential campaign. Obama supporters of all ages bought Obama paraphernalia with this image and it is still being sold even though there are those that say the honeymoon period is over (It’s not over for me!).
What drew me to this image was its visual simplicity complemented by its bold meaning. I was also drawn to it because it is considered graffiti art, which was made popular by young people beginning in the 1970s. Since I indulge in all things graffiti, I took a special liking to Fairey’s portrait and I also drew a connection between youth in regards to expression, culture and political consciousness. Prior to this election, many youth and young adults were indifferent to politics because they felt their voices weren’t heard. Knowing this, Obama’s campaign made it a priority to include young people to participate in this historical election by using tech-savvy tactics to organize at the grassroots level via social networking sites like Facebook.
President Obama’s innovative use of the Internet as a politician trying to reach out to young people is similar to the way John F. Kennedy stood out from Richard Nixon during his 1960 presidential campaign. According to historical sources, during the first ever televised presidential debate Kennedy appeared relaxed and Nixon appeared out of his element. Those who listened to the debate on the radio thought Nixon won and those that watched it thought Kennedy won. Since younger people are generally more open to progress (technological or social), there’s no doubt in my mind that younger people made up the majority of those that were looking at the debate rather than listening to it. Of course, the visual impressions left by both candidates impacted the polls.
From the ‘60s to the present, visuals and appearance are more important than ever in American culture. Many, like me, were attracted to the imagery created by various artists to represent President Obama and what his campaign stood for. What sealed the deal was his willingness to invest in young voters. Like Kennedy in 1960, President Obama used a progressive medium to set him apart from his opponent. Through the Internet, he reached out and younger people responded by networking, organizing and, in Shepard Fairey’s case, visual expression.
