5.3 Lesson 5 - The Artist as Changemaker - Manifestos & Methods of Change

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5.3 The Artist as Changemaker

Lesson 4: The French Revolution

Welcome to Arts

• Key Concept: Change, Systems

• Related Concepts: Boundaries, Innovation

• Global Context: Orientation in Space and Time
  

• Statement of Inquiry: Society's willingness to engage in warfare and violence is determined by society's perspective and resources

  Artists throughout history have used their work to question power and propose new visions for society.
  
  IDU with History

Learning Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Analyze the structure, language, and persuasive strategies of historical and contemporary artistic manifestos.

2. Evaluate how manifestos function as tools for radical change and collective action across different art movements.

3. Adapt and create a manifesto that responds to a contemporary issue, justifying their artistic choices

Lesson Programme

1. Starter: Abramovic

2. What's a manifest?

3. Manifest Gallery

4. Manifest Analysis

5. Manifest Remix Workshop

6. Reflection

Starter: an artist'journey

Marina Abramovic

Listen for her rules and beliefs about what an artist should be and do.

> Write these rules down

Briefly introduce Marina Abramović as a pioneer of performance art, known for pushing physical and mental limits to explore themes of body, pain, and connection.

Briefly introduce Marina Abramović as a pioneer of performance art, known for pushing physical and mental limits to explore themes of body, pain, and connection.

What rules and beliefs did you hear about what an artist should be and do.

Clip 2: The Lovers: The Great Wall Walk

Observe their journey and consider the sacrifice and commitment involved.

Observe their journey and consider the sacrifice and commitment involved. What did you see?

Clip 3: The Artist Is Present - MoMA Reunion

Watch for the emotional impact and the unspoken communication.

Watch for the emotional impact and the unspoken communication.

What do you think?

What do you wonder?

2. Manifesto

What's a manifest?

What did the futurist use a manifest for?

Antonio Sant’Elia, one of the sketches for The New City project, 1914, via Art History Project

What's a manifest?

What did the futurist use a manifest for?

Delacroix uses a dynamic composition with Liberty leading diverse figures, holding the French flag high, to powerfully show that all types of people united to fight for freedom. Through these choices, he wanted to send a clear message that revolution, despite its sacrifices, is a heroic and justified path to liberty.

3. Manifest Gallery & Reading

• Activity: In pairs you rotate through the stations. Each station has an excerpt for a manifesto. For each manifesto, you :
  

  • Read the excerpt.

  • Underline or highlight key phrases, calls to action, and persuasive language.

  • Annotate (briefly write notes) about the strategies used and the overall tone.

• Examples: Futurist Manifesto (Marinetti), Bauhaus Manifesto (Gropius), Dogme 95, Fluxus, Surrealist, De Stijl

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Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, author of the Manifesto of Futurism

4. Manifesto Analysis

• Work in pairs

• Choose one manifesto from the gallery that particularly interest you.

• Use the "Manifesto Analysis Worksheet" to analyze its structure, language, and potential impact.

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5. Manifesto Remix Workshop

• In small groups (3-4 students), select one classic manifesto (e.g., Futurist, Bauhaus) or one that strongly resonated.

• Task: Begin to brainstorm how you would rewrite or adapt it for a current social, environmental, or political issue.
  

• Challenge: How could you adapt it for a different art form or a contemporary communication platform (e.g., a TikTok manifesto, a protest song manifesto)?

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Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Umberto Boccioni, 1913, via MoMA

6. Reflection & Portfolio

Instructions: Please answer the following questions briefly before you leave and put them on your portfolio

• Which manifesto (historical or remixed) or Marina Abramović's approach did you find most inspiring today, and why?

• What is one key strategy you learned about writing a powerful call to action?"

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Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.