Where Every End Sparks a New Revolution in Art and Change
I had
prepared this final article weeks ago, but it never felt right. The dialogue I
shared with Aviva during this journey blocked me, too many thoughts, too many
emotions. It wasn’t just about her art; it wasn’t about art at all, nor even
solely about her. It was as if someone had entered my life and forced me to
question everything. I canceled the first version of this article because I had
to pause and reflect, not on what to write, but on who I was becoming.
I spent
countless hours pondering, searching for meaning, until I turned to two poems, “Invictus”
by William Ernest Henley and “If” by Rudyard Kipling. Meanwhile, I was
contacted by one of Italy’s most influential art magazines for an interview
with Aviva as an artist (will be published in mid-April). All these experiences
helped me find the purpose behind writing this final piece.
Aviva Rahmani — Detail from the Blued Trees Project 2015 (Photo credit: www.avivarahmani.com)
So, let me
change my writing style and share this inner journey I experienced with Aviva.
I apologize in advance if it comes off as “too much” or as a self-indulgent
monologue about the right world, but this isn’t simply because she is a great
artist; it’s because I immersed myself in her unorthodox method of discovering
art and, in doing so, found a completely new way to understand her
revolutionary concepts. This isn’t just a narrative about art, it’s a wild,
transformative odyssey into a realm where art becomes the fiercest tool of
activism, empowering each of us to unleash an unstoppable energy to reshape our
world.
Now, I’m
going to be a bit less politically correct than I usually am: I need to speak
plainly, even if that means challenging the comfortable norms. I recognize that
a diversity of viewpoints is essential to democracy, yet these days, its
fragility is all too evident. We seem paralyzed when it comes to making clear,
decisive choices on even the simplest issues, leaving the door open to
authoritarianism. This is the recurring cycle of history, a reminder that with
freedom comes vulnerability. Freedom isn’t simply handed to us; it must be
seized, fought for, and continuously defended. We tend to fight only for the
rights that affect us directly, wrapped up in our radical chic sensibilities,
sometimes at the expense of a broader, more inclusiveness that in the end will
enforce the human being all.
The Catalyst
Maybe I'm
wrong, but this is what I understood in my analysis of Aviva Rahmani's art and
person: imagine a universe where creativity isn’t confined within the walls of
galleries or the predictable lines of convention, where the first question is
“How much is it worth?” and dollars value defines everything: the great and the
small artist, the art investor, the galleries, and the critics. Then, a breath
of fresh, pure air…
In Aviva’s
realm, art is a living, breathing beast, a raw, untamed force that defies
tradition and demands we see the world with unflinching, unmanipulated eyes.
Her work shatters expectations with projects like Tolstoy & I, where
personal history collides with the weighty narratives of the past, and Blued
Trees, where nature is transformed into a vivid canvas of rebellion. These
pieces aren’t mere art objects (I don’t care about the price tag, honestly);
they’re bold declarations that roar: “Wake up! The world needs a radical
change, and you are the spark!”
Yet, all
too often, the response is a lukewarm "okay, clear", like a form of
personal faith where we celebrate the good but accept the bad, especially when
it doesn’t affect us directly. In the end, nothing, and now all the struggles
to face a time when the political stage in the USA, and across the world, teeters
on the edge of chaos, with partisan battles, deep divisions, and leadership
that often seems more interested in spectacle than in genuine progress (and
that, in its own way, is a positive part).
Aviva Rahmani - Hunt for the Lost an outdoor public art installation in 3 parts, Governors Island, New York, 2020 (Photo credit: www.avivarahmani.com)
As similar
storms of unrest and uncertainty rage worldwide, Aviva’s call becomes even more
urgent. Her work challenges us to reject complacency, confront the absurdity of
political theater, and harness our collective power to forge a new, more
compassionate world order. It reminds us that the issues we face, from
environmental degradation to social injustice, demand more than empty promises;
they require bold, transformative, and shareable action. Because it’s not about
you or me… it’s about all of us, the entire world.
Aviva’s
approach is both unorthodox and profoundly daring. She has devised a method
that doesn’t merely ask you to watch from the sidelines, it came up with a
method that doesn't just ask you to watch from the sidelines (one example is “Trigger
Point Theory as Aesthetic Activism”); it forces you to plunge into the vibrant
heartbeat of her creativity, transforming you from an onlooker into an active co-conspirator
in a grand mission of transformation. Unlike fleeting trends that toy with the
status quo, like those that absurdly inflate the price of a banana for the sake
of spectacle, Aviva’s work is a genuine call to action. Her art exists not to serve
as a cynical commentary on consumer excess or to prop up inflated market
values, but as a raw, unfiltered expression of the chaos, hope, and defiance
that our times demand.
Consider,
for instance, the debate surrounding masterpieces like “Salvador Mundi.” It
isn’t the painting’s aesthetic beauty that captivates us, nor the fact that it
might have been created by Leonardo da Vinci. Its true allure is marred by the
staggering price tag of $450 million, a sum that could be harnessed for far
nobler causes. This isn’t about the worth of an artwork or the vanity of
ownership; it’s about recognizing that art, at its core, is a shared heritage.
It’s not for the enrichment of a selected few but a collective treasure that
belongs to us all.
The Deep Diving
As I
mentioned in my previous articles, the first time I encountered Aviva’s work,
its audacity captivated me, but that initial spark was only the beginning. I
delved deeper, scouring her writings, interviews, and the online echoes of her
creative manifesto, and soon realized there was far more beneath the surface. I
discovered a philosophy that celebrates vulnerability as strength, chaos as the
birthplace of order, and the seemingly “crazy” as the wellspring of innovation.
Aviva Rahmani - Ghost Nets, Performance Installation of restoring wetland sites Vinalhaven, ME, 1991 to 2000(Photo credit: www.avivarahmani.com)
Her
exploration into art isn’t about crafting pretty images for idle admiration;
it’s about dissecting our world with the precision of a radical empath, questioning
every norm and tearing down the walls of indifference. In one of her fervent
online pieces, she described art as “a wild, ecstatic tango with the universe’s
chaos, a defiant dance that leaves no soul untouched.” That invitation to join
a mad, beautiful dance of rebellion resonated with every fiber of my being.
Aviva’s
commentary on ecological decay, political turmoil, and cultural fragmentation
is unafraid to use language that shocks and stirs the spirit. Her words burst
forth like an explosion of color in a drab landscape, challenging us to find
beauty and purpose even in the darkest corners of our reality.
The Revolution
So, for
Aviva, art is the ultimate act of political defiance. It’s not about crafting
an object that merely sits in a sterile space to be ogled by the privileged
few. Instead, her projects, such as the audacious Blued Trees, which
marks nature with electrifying blue sine waves, are vivid manifestos against
environmental destruction. These works force us to confront the urgent,
uncomfortable truths of our existence.
.jpg "The Blued Trees Symphony Date: 2022 Size: 18” x 37” Medium: printed GIS map, colored pencil and gold leaf on paper Details: Overlay of score with mapped locations of The Blued Trees Symphony events.")
Aviva Rahmani - The Blued Trees Symphony Date: 2022 Size: 18” x 37” Medium: printed GIS map, colored pencil and gold leaf on paper Details: Overlay of score with mapped locations of The Blued Trees Symphony events. (Photo credit: www.avivarahmani.com)
Aviva’s
creations are a clarion call for substance. They demand that we channel our
anger, our grief, and our hope into tangible action. Every blue brushstroke,
every daring concept is a rallying cry for justice, for ecological stewardship,
and for the reclamation of our shared human dignity.
Her
insistence that “provocation without insight is not art” is more than just a
statement, it’s a battle cry against the commodification of creativity. It
reminds us that art should be the spark that sets off revolutions, not the
trophy hung on the wall of an elitist collector’s mansion.
The Unconventional Ambassadors
I feel an
electrifying call to arms. Aviva’s method has transformed my perspective,
turning my inner critic into a resolute advocate for change. And now, I urge
you to embrace that same fire. Whether you resonate fully or only catch a
glimmer of these ideas, do not let them fade into the mundane. Instead, let
them ignite your passion, your creativity, and your courage to act.
Imagine a
world where every individual becomes an ambassador, not in the sterile,
conventional sense, but as a bold, unapologetic revolutionary who uses art as
the mightiest tool of change. Visualize each creative act, whether it be
painting, writing, dancing, or simply living authentically, as a defiant step
toward addressing the colossal issues of our time. Let’s confront ecological
crises, engage in the deep, often painful dialogues of our political and
cultural histories (much like the sprawling narratives found in War and
Peace), and celebrate the vibrant, untamed beauty of our shared existence.
Aviva Rahmani — Self Portrait from the series, “Tolstoy and I.” 10”x7.75” Conte pencil on pages of 1937 edition of, “War and Peace.” (Photo credit: www.avivarahmani.com)
This is the
invitation to you to join a movement that dares to be different. It is a
summons to break free from the chains of mediocrity and to create a life that
is as wildly expressive and unapologetically transformative as Aviva’s art.
The Uncommon, the Crazy, the Beautiful
Sometimes,
the path to true transformation isn’t paved with reason or conformity, it’s
paved with wild, unbridled energy. Aviva’s work reminds us that the most
profound revolutions often emerge from the chaos of the unexpected. It’s in the
laughter that defies despair, in the raw poetry that springs from turmoil, and
in the beautiful madness that exists between vulnerability and strength.
Let’s dare
to be unconventional. Embrace the crazy, the unpredictable, and the fiercely
passionate. In a world that often demands we fit in, choose to be the
beautifully aberrant spark of change. Let your every act of creation be a
rebellion, every idea a radical seed of transformation. Tear down the walls of
mediocrity and let the unrestrained force of your creativity roar into
existence.
Aviva has
shown us that art is not meant to be confined to elite, it is meant to be
lived, breathed, and shared by all. It’s a force that defies gravity, lifts us
from despair, and carries us into realms of boundless possibility.
A Future Unwritten: Crafting Our Own Masterpiece
As I pen
these reflections, I am filled with an unstoppable determination to carry
forward this torch of radical creativity and impassioned activism. The journey
with Aviva has redefined my understanding of art and ignited within me a
burning desire to see the world transformed. And I invite you, dear reader, to
join me on this wild ride.
Let us
pledge never to let our ideas be stifled by the banalities of everyday life.
Let’s create a future where art isn’t just a mirror to our reality but a
dynamic hammer that reshapes it. Every act of defiance, every burst of
creativity is a step toward a world where justice, empathy, and passionate
expression are the norm, not the exception.
The Final Provocation
I close
this tribute not with a farewell, but with an explosive call to action. Shatter
the confines of conventional thought, dive headfirst into the beautiful madness
of transformation, and let your soul dance in sync with the wild rhythms of the
universe. Become the ambassador of change you were always meant to be.
Now, let me
share what I will do: if Aviva permits, I'll contact the world's leading art
auction houses to propose auctioning the document "Trigger Point Theory as
Aesthetic Activism." if this idea ever takes off, the price it fetches
will serve as a gauge of how deeply we care about our world. I do not expect it
to become a modern bible, but because, in these times, authentic manifestos of
change are all too rare. I fully expect my email to end up in the spam folder,
but I will publish it along with the address to which I'll send it. So, if you
want to be part of this, just copy it and send it yourself. Maybe 'The Donald'
will buy it! You never know!
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