Art and society

• Main Author: Joensen, Unn, 1974-
• Other Authors: Listaháskóli Íslands
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Myndlist; Myndlistarmenn; Samfélag; Færeyjar; Faroe Islands
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/9004

I grew up on the Faroe Islands a small Island group in the atlantic ocean with beautiful nature and picturesque scenery, but something was missing. The whole social structure of the Faroe Islands was, and still is based on the ten commandments in the Bible. Darwin was banned in the schools,Man was created by God. People who thought differently were pushed out of the small community, and often ended up moving to Denmark.It is believed that almost 10,000 people have abandon the Faroe Islands and live abroad. The fanatic religious ideology had a big impact on the faroese society, and it made me very angry as a teenager,I wanted to change something in my society. I went against the set rules and started to provoke the system,by for example hang out with people on the wrong side of life according to, the Christian society rules. I joined the Sea Shepherd at the age of thirteen,as one of the first persons in the Faroe Islands. The Sea Shepherd is an activist group whose aim is to stop whale killings. They are extremely much hated in the Faroe Islands, because they claim, that we kill the whales in a very barbaric style and I agree. When I look back this has also been a common thread of my artwork,the provocation against the system that I find unfair, or unlikely to be true. For me humans and nature are not separated. Society can be a group of wild goose flying over your head.I believe that there is a social structure,and a plan in the universe for every living organism,also on a spiritual level.I’m interested in the interactions between living beings. I will try to bring the discussion up in this thesis on, why art is an important part of our modern society. The role of the critical artwork, in connection with own works. My thoughts about being a female artist, and shed light on artists, that have influenced and inspired me.