In our divided political climate, opinions of the people around us are becoming more prevalent and therefore hold more social weight. This trend continues into the pop culture scene, with many celebrities speaking on their beliefs or including increasingly political themes in their work. While many may believe that politics should stay out of art, they ignore the close entwinement of art and politics and the freedom of expression for the artists themselves.
Art is a way of expressing the deeper thoughts and beliefs that an individual holds, so consequently, these beliefs may hold political messaging, even if it wasn’t intended. This is present in all art forms, topically music, but also in film and comedy. Storytelling for film relies heavily on telling certain perspectives, which requires an understanding of how certain demographics of people would behave, think and be treated within a story. In the sphere of comedy, jokes often require some political messaging to make the joke more relevant and, in turn, funnier for the intended audience. Overall, the inclusion of ideas that may be deemed ‘political’ often enhance the art being created and give it more depth and meaning.
The topic of politics in the art space has been recently fueled by award shows and speeches that have included and relied on political messages. Namely, discussions on immigration and democracy have been expanded by these acceptance speeches. Celebrities may feel that it is important for them to give these types of speeches because during these award ceremonies, they have access to a larger audience of people, more than their personal fan bases. It also allows for them to give a proper voice to their opinions, which might not always be clear through their art.
Many have argued that art and artistry isn’t the place for political discussion, and that artists openly sharing their beliefs steers away their larger demographic of followers. But that is exactly the point of art in politics: the artist shares what they believe with their audience, and then the audience can determine how those opinions make them feel. It shouldn’t be the job of an artist to make their work enjoyable for all. Art isn’t made to be cleansing and consumable, but a true expression of what the artist believes.
