This page was created by Marian Jorda. The last update was by Mary Lopez.
Intro
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.
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. 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 in Berlin. Their stories of tenacity and dynamic use of humor within a multidimensional, cross-cultural aspect, inspired me to look further at humor's role within a society in the face of social issues.
Lisa Kron’s work 2.5 Minute Ride is also a tremendous inspiration for my project and an incredible example of the complex space humor and horror juxtaposed, can hold in the same space while shedding light on sensitive 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; bringing out conversations of injustices that have divided our society.
This page has paths:
- MLo's Senior Project: Uproar Mary Lopez
