This page was created by Marian Jorda. The last update was by Mary Lopez.
Intro
To be able to laugh at evil and error means we have surmounted them
- Wylie Sypher
I'm a fourth year World Arts & Culture major at the University of California Los Angeles, focusing on the role of humor being a tool in activism having the function to communicate and process different social issues.
Many people look at comedy being a way to let loose, an elevation of free time or even a form of escapism. And it can be all those things; Humor has the ability to function, in multiple dimensionalities. For me, humor is a unique tool that has the ability to de-construct, heal and bring change to some of the injustices that have divided our society and our world. Humor acts as a tool, helping us carry and communicate some of the tremendously emotional and difficult topics by breaking down problems; somehow beginning to make sense out of the senseless within tragedy, grief and everyday life, in facing the/amongst the injustices of our society.
I began to see the power of humor in one of my first World Arts & Cultures classes with David Gere, through his incredible project, "Through Positive Eyes". Being a part of the group 'What Makes me Laugh' where people, from around the world living with HIV and AIDs, utilized photography and humor to tell their diverse stories through the vehicle of humor. In this mode, they were able to begin to fight back and break stigmas communicating truths surrounding HIV and AIDS.
I then had the incredible opportunity to work with refugees while studying abroad in Berlin, their stories of tenacity and the dynamic use of humor at such multidimensional cross-cultural aspect inspired me to pursue the theme of humor and comedy in society when looking at social issues. Explore my page 'Refugees & Berlin'.
Lisa Kron’s work is also a tremendous inspiration for my project and an incredible example of the complex space humor and horror juxtaposed can hold in shedding light on certain topics. Her work of art demonstrates that we need to put ourselves in those spaces that are uncomfortable because it actually brings us closer to the truth. Humor then becomes a tool that helps us carry some of these tremendously emotional and difficult topics— in turn, being a way to deconstruct, somehow beginning to make sense out of the senseless that we face through the tragedies and injustices of society.
Many people look at comedy being a way to let loose, an elevation of free time or even a form of escapism. And it can be all those things; Humor has the ability to function, in multiple dimensionalities. For me, humor is a unique tool that has the ability to de-construct, heal and bring change to some of the injustices that have divided our society and our world. Humor acts as a tool, helping us carry and communicate some of the tremendously emotional and difficult topics by breaking down problems; somehow beginning to make sense out of the senseless within tragedy, grief and everyday life, in facing the/amongst the injustices of our society.
I began to see the power of humor in one of my first World Arts & Cultures classes with David Gere, through his incredible project, "Through Positive Eyes". Being a part of the group 'What Makes me Laugh' where people, from around the world living with HIV and AIDs, utilized photography and humor to tell their diverse stories through the vehicle of humor. In this mode, they were able to begin to fight back and break stigmas communicating truths surrounding HIV and AIDS.
I then had the incredible opportunity to work with refugees while studying abroad in Berlin, their stories of tenacity and the dynamic use of humor at such multidimensional cross-cultural aspect inspired me to pursue the theme of humor and comedy in society when looking at social issues. Explore my page 'Refugees & Berlin'.
Lisa Kron’s work is also a tremendous inspiration for my project and an incredible example of the complex space humor and horror juxtaposed can hold in shedding light on certain topics. Her work of art demonstrates that we need to put ourselves in those spaces that are uncomfortable because it actually brings us closer to the truth. Humor then becomes a tool that helps us carry some of these tremendously emotional and difficult topics— in turn, being a way to deconstruct, somehow beginning to make sense out of the senseless that we face through the tragedies and injustices of society.
-Bringing out conversations of injustices that have divided our society. (Add to Truthteller section)
Born and raised in New York, Mary Lopez is a senior World Arts & Culture major at UCLA, focusing on the power of arts activism through comedic storytelling. This past year, Mary studied abroad at the Freie Universität of Berlin in Germany, where she took courses surrounding the relationship of art and dictatorship, while simultaneously volunteering at various refugee centers in Berlin. Formerly a theater major, Mary is looking to peruse a career of combining her loves of art, writing sketch-comedy and work in activism.
This page has paths:
- MLo's Senior Project: Uproar Mary Lopez