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"Look at the happy bear here!": The use of artivism in Extinction Rebellion Sweden
KTH, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Human Centered Technology, Media Technology and Interaction Design, MID.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1207-124X
2023 (English)In: Journal of Resistance Studies, ISSN 2001-9947, Vol. 9, no 2, p. 40-77Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The article describes and analyses how the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion (XR) Sweden makes use of art as part of nonviolent direct actions, a form of action which often is referred to as artivism. The article is based on direct observations of actions, documented online chats, interviews with participants, and content analysis of films, photographs and social media posts. The artivist actions were performed in Stockholm in 2020-2022. The interviews were made in the autumn 2022. The first part of the article is descriptive, presenting a series of artivist actions performed by the XR group. There is also a critical and historical discussion of politically engaged art and the use of art in activism. The second part of the article consists of a thematic analysis of the interview material. The article argues that artivism is import- ant both as a means of communication and for the internal culture in the activist group. As a form of meaning-making, artistic creation challenges the ready-made framing of political issues. The artivist performance is a form of place-making, temporarily transforming the meaning of public space, set- ting the stage for a carnivalesque where climate activists can appear as Fossil Fuel Industry executives, openly revealing disinformation and Greenwashing campaigns. Artivist action constitutes a form of aesthetics of resistance, chal- lenging hegemonic ideological representation. Many of the artivist actions performed by the XR group were satirical, where humour plays an important part. Humour is also important in other ways, to keep up the spirit and en- gagement of the activists, and to defuse possible tension with bystanders and representatives of law enforcement. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Irene Publishers , 2023. Vol. 9, no 2, p. 40-77
Keywords [en]
Artivism, Extinction Rebellion, Climate activism
National Category
Cultural Studies Performing Art Studies Media and Communication Studies
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-338700OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-338700DiVA, id: diva2:1831305
Note

QC 20240125

Available from: 2024-01-25 Created: 2024-01-25 Last updated: 2025-02-17Bibliographically approved

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Dahlberg, Leif

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CiteExportLink to record
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