There is no alternative
Patrick Grugan
The early 1980s were turning point in our history. Margaret Thatcher in Great Britain, followed by Ronald Reagan in the U.S., ushered in a series of policies known as “neoliberalism” – privatizing industries that used to be public, de-regulating business, and taking apart the social safety net – basically removing any obstacles to the free rule of the market. Thatcher had a slogan that she used when describing these changes: “There is no alternative.” In other words, the needs of capitalism are the basic guiding principles for our societies, and there is no alternative to that. Pretty Orwellian stuff.
Of course there are alternatives. Lots of them. And our present situation is pushing us to look for them. The pieces in this show are being made at a time of sharp economic downturn. The cracks in the system are becoming pretty obvious, and lots more people are falling through them. So it’s a good time to re-evaluate the ideas and institutions behind Thatcher’s slogan. I am using the process of making these pieces to begin to do so.
As someone who has both made art and worked with organizations of poor and working people for a long time, I’ve been using my artwork as a tool to understand the system that we live in, and, more importantly, to change it for the better. Bertold Brecht said that “Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it.” That’s what I’m trying to do with my art – to be part of making a better alternative.
I’m a painter at heart, and I love light and color. So even though the subject matter is serious and photos are telling a lot of the story, I try to sneak in paint and light and color wherever I can. The stained glass pieces particularly allow me both to focus on light and color, and to appreciate some of the people who are reasons for hope and the basis for all sorts of better alternatives. These people, and the materials and process of art itself, are an inspiration. I’m extremely grateful to get to work with both.