Engaged artists

[Jeffrey]

Hello, everyone. First post here. I'm doing a little research and wondering if anyone here can help with a reference or two. I'm looking for artists motivated by what we might call engaged Buddhist principles. That is, artists concerned with social justice. If you know of anyone, a link or a name would be greatly appreciated.

Just to be clear, I'm not interested in artists whose work is based on Buddhist iconography or traditional Buddhist communities. That is, no Buddhas, temples, stupas, monks, etc. Nor am I interested in contemplative art. Nothing wrong with either of these. Just not what I'm researching at the moment.

Thank you for your attention and have a great weekend.

[Hanzze]

I guess very difficult: the Actor

But maybe its good if you expalin more about what do you mean with: "social justice" and "engaged Buddhist".

"Shahrukh Khan" does great work (from a view between worldly and beyound), but I am not sure if we can call it like you would like to call it.

M.C. Escher makes Samsara very visible on paper.

[Ben]

Greetings Jeffrey
In the event you may be seeking people involved in the literary arts, my very good friend and co-practitioner, Mike Heald, is a lecturer at University of Melbourne and has three volumes of poetry published. His last volume: "The Moving World" is informed and inspired by his practice.
kind regards,

Ben

[DAWN]

Banksy

[Jeffrey]

Great replies, everyone. Thanks!

Hanzze, the sutta is greatly appreciated. If you have any more along these lines, anything to do with arts, don't hesitate to post them here or privately in a pm.

As regards engaged Buddhist principles, I'm looking for Buddhist artists concerned with social justice, who see suffering (at least in part) as a product of the systems in which we live - economic, social, and political. My personal interest in is visual arts, but references to all kind of artists would be equally appreciated.

Even poetry. But not contemplative poetry. Not art that looks in, but looks out. Banksy is a good example - is he Buddhist?

[Ben]

All art, by nature, is internal.
kind regards,

Ben

[Hanzze]

What about doing it by your self?

Maybe something like this (I have no graphic program, just a quick sample):

Doc1.pdf

(197.13 KiB) Downloaded 33 times

?

[DAWN]

Even poetry. But not contemplative poetry. Not art that looks in, but looks out. Banksy is a good example - is he Buddhist?

I dont think so, perharps in one of his past lives.
But he see thinks deeply in their nature, so perharps he is buddhist without being buddhist

[Hanzze]

Real good

I like his "letting go" one



and great dry humor if he does not mean it seriously:

"We can't do anything to change the world until capitalism crumbles. In the meantime we should all go shopping to console ourselves."

[Jeffrey]

Last night I watched Schooling the World, a lovely film about the effects of secular education on rural indigenous cultures (specifically in Ladakh). The filmmaker doesn't identify herself as Buddhist, but you get the idea she may be.

This is the kind of artist I'm in search of.

http://schoolingtheworld.org/


Or, as someone suggested to a conflicted screenwriter:

You might make more of this sort of work, and point at the Four Noble Truths in various ways through skillful use of writing.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=7988&p=125774

[Hanzze]

I was just informed (maybe you know it already) that the makers of the movie "Baraka" made a new movie, I guess it is somehow as great, meditative and jolty as the first:


Incredible pictures and adjustment.

Maybe those "artists" are something you search for.

[Jeffrey]

This is one I'm looking forward to. I need to find out if Ron Fricke is Buddhist. Thanks for thinking of us and posting the trailer.

[Hanzze]

I am not sure if a real Buddhist would regard him self as a Buddhist, so its maybe not the best to focus on such declarations, Jeffrey. Just a thought.

Maybe that is helpful for your search: