Art endures because courage endures
Some believe the arts have the power to affect change. Others see them as mere expressions of beauty, skill and vision.
We believe they can be all these things.
But in times of political unrest, the arts have an opportunity—and a responsibility—to be more.
| Takeaways • Discover how artists navigate oppression through resistance, malicious compliance and dissidence. • Explore the works of four artists who defied authoritarian control through visual art, literature, music and performance. • Reflect on your role—whether as a creator or patron—in preserving artistic freedom and fostering defiance. |
With democracy in jeopardy and the clock ticking on freedom of creative expression, the arts cannot remain neutral. History proves that art often outlasts authoritarianism, even when suppressed or politicized.
While regimes attempt to control artistic expression through censorship, propaganda, and ideological conformity, creativity finds ways to persist—through hidden resistance, exile, or revival after oppression collapses.
In the meantime, there are three strategies for artistic survival when authoritarian forces attempt to silence creative voices:
- Resistance – Direct opposition through protest, underground movements, and art that openly defies the regime—often at great personal risk.
- Malicious Compliance – Obedience in form but subversion in intent. Following the rules so precisely that it exposes their absurdity or embeds hidden critiques.
- Dissidence – Not just opposition but a force that redefines norms, gradually eroding authoritarian control without direct confrontation.
Artists who embody these strategies
Diego Rivera “Man at the Crossroads” (1933)
Nelson Rockefeller ordered the destruction of Rivera’s mural at Rockefeller Center after the artist included an image of Lenin. Rivera’s work directly challenged political oppression, making it an act of resistance.
Václav Havel “The Memorandum” (1965)
Havel’s absurdist play, written under communist rule, followed censorship guidelines while subtly mocking bureaucratic control. It exposed authoritarian absurdity through malicious compliance.
Víctor Jara “Te Recuerdo Amanda” (1969)
Jara’s songs expressed solidarity with workers and resistance against political oppression. Executed under Pinochet’s dictatorship, his music became an enduring symbol of dissidence.
Tania Bruguera “Tatlin’s Whisper #6” (2009)
Bruguera’s performance piece invited people to speak freely for one minute, exposing Cuba’s limits on free speech. Her work navigates all three strategies—resisting openly, complying with rules to subvert them and sustaining dissidence.
A call to action
Art endures because courage endures. Whether through bold resistance, clever subversion, or quiet dissidence, creativity has always found ways to challenge oppression and reimagine freedom.
If you are an artist, remember—your work is more than creation. It is a force that shifts perspectives, builds solidarity and carves space for truth.
If you are an arts patron, your attention, advocacy, and support empower bold creators when fear threatens to silence them.
The survival of free expression depends on both hands—the one that creates and the one that uplifts. Wherever you stand, step forward. Defiance is the first step toward transformation.
| Banner Image Guerrilla Girls is a collective of anonymous female artists who have used malicious compliance and resistance to challenge sexism and inequality in the art world. One of their most famous works, “Do Women Have to Be Naked to Get into the Met Museum?” (1989), followed advertising conventions but subverted them by exposing gender disparities in museum collections. |
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